


THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 
OF CHICAGO 



JOHN J. GL^SNER 




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Book 



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THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 
OF CHICAGO 

ITS BEGINNING AND 

SOMETHING OF 

ITS WORK 




PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR PRESENTATION 
TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 



of? 



The Commercial Club, organized 1877. 

The Merchants Club, organized 1896. 

United 1907. 



By transfer 
The mite VWJJJ 
Harcb 3rd, ^ 



Explanatory. 

The Commercial Club is and has been of much im- 
portance in Chicago. Its records are not easily 
accessible, and of the first sixty members only four 
are in full active membership now. I have thought 
that an account of its foundation and activities, 
derived from the early records and the recollections 
of these few men, might prove worth while. I offer 
it to my fellow members in modesty, and without 
pretension either that it is full and adequate or in 
literary or even consecutive form, but hoping that it 
may find sufficient favor to warrant their indulgent 
attention for an idle hour. 

J . *J . (jr. 

March 1, 1910. 



BEGINNING AND DEVELOPMENT 



THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 
OF CHICAGO 

THE beginnings of any institution that 
becomes a power are interesting, and 
a review of the beginnings of the Com- 
mercial Club of Chicago may be so as 
a matter of retrospect or reminiscence to those 
who were of the founders and early members, and 
of history merely to the younger element, curious 
about the objects and methods of their forerunners. 

The Commercial Club was not the original 
invention of Chicagoans. It had its inception in 
a business visit of Henry J. Macfarland to Bos- 
ton in the fall of 1877, when, lunching at Union 
Club on Beacon Hill, the guest of his friends 
Jerome Jones and John W. Candler, both mem- 
bers and the latter then President of the Boston 
Commercial Club, they said to him: "We have in- 
vited ourselves to Chicago, and are going. We 
have been to New York and to Providence — where 
there was then a similar club — and to other places 
in New England, and now we are planning the 



9 



greatest trip we ever have had; we are going to 
Chicago on our own invitation." Any questions 
about the time for their visit and of who would be 
in the party and the arrangements that had been 
made, brought only the information that Mahlon 
and John Spaulding, Boston's sugar merchants, 
had written a personal, not official, letter to John 
W. Doane, Chicago's widely known grocer — that 
was all. Very little more was said then, but 
promptly on his return to Chicago Mr. Macfar- 
land called upon Mr. Doane to say that somebody 
ought to entertain these forthcoming visitors, greet 
them on arrival, show them that they were with 
friends, see that they had a good time, and present 
Chicago in its most favorable aspect for inspection, 
and, incidentally, to provide the ways and means 
for this. A subscription paper was prepared at 
once, headed by Doane and circulated by Macfar- 
land, and soon three thousand dollars were sub- 
scribed, and the subscribers were personally inter- 
ested to make the coming visitors welcome. 

At that time Mr. Macfarland was making his 
shoes at Waupun, and depending upon President 
Merrill of the St. Paul railroad for freights, and 
Mr. Merrill promptly agreed to take the party by 
special complimentary train to Milwaukee, where 
they had midday dinner at the Plankinton House, 
with George W. Allen as Milwaukee's speaker and 
other prominent Milwaukee men in attendance, 
and President Hughitt brought them back over the 
Northwestern road, the trip each way being made 
in the record-breaking time of two hours. 



10 



When again in Chicago, the travelers were taken 
to the Stock Yards, where it was then the fashion to 
take all strangers, and John B. Sherman gave them 
luncheon at the Transit House. They were shown 
the Board of Trade, the grain elevators, the city's 
banks and business houses, and, incidentally, its 
defective streets, etc., and later there was the great 
banquet at the Chicago Club, on the evening of 
December 12th. At the close of that meeting the 
entire company formed in a circle, hand grasping 
hand, and sang "Auld Lang Syne." And, when 
at the end of three days Chicago waved her visitors 
goodby as their special train pulled out of the 
wretched station of the Pennsylvania road (then 
the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago), the mem- 
bers of the committee felicitated themselves that 
there had been no accidents, no failures, no untow- 
ard happenings, no hitch or misadventure in the 
arrangements, and felt that really they had done 
themselves and the city great credit. 

The luncheon at the Transit House was the offer- 
ing of Mr. John B. Sherman, the special trains to 
and from Milwaukee were with the compliments of 
Presidents Hughitt and Merrill; each Chicagoan 
had paid the stipulated price for his place at the 
banquet, and when the committee met a few days 
later at the Chicago Club, it was found that all 
bills were paid and there was left a small bal- 
ance from the three thousand dollar fund. And 
then and there — not because of the money that was 
left — it was decided to have a commercial club in 
Chicago. 



11 



The Boston Commercial Club dates from Novem- 
ber 7, 1868, and the incentive 1 for its formation was 
almost the same incentive as in Chicago's case nine 
years later. A committee of forty business men 
had been appointed by the Boston Board of Trade 
in December, 1867, to provide for entertainment of 
delegates from Boards of Trade all over the coun- 
try to a national convention to be held in Boston 
in February, 1868. This committee raised eleven 
thousand dollars, and did its work so well, and 
found the association so agreeable that it continued 
its meetings monthly under the name of the Com- 
mercial Committee, until the fall, and then trans- 
formed itself into the Boston Commercial Club. 
The first membership comprised this committee of 
forty, but was soon increased to fifty, and at the 
end of the first year to sixty, at which number it 
remained until September 19, 1901, when increased 
again to seventy-five. Club meetings and dinners 
were held on the third Saturday afternoons for all 
except the summer months, beginning at two or 
three o'clock, and these continued to be the hours 
for thirty-two years, until the evening dinner hour 
was substituted in 1900. 

The Bostonians had been full of enthusiasm for 
their club and what it stood for, and had talked 
much of it, and this greatly interested their Chi- 
cago hosts. Many of these were closely connected 
in business relations with the Boston men. Baker 
and Candler together shipped wheat and other 
grain all over the world. Mahlon and John Spauld- 



12 



ing, the sugar merchants, and all Chicago grocers 
had business dealings. Chicago boot and shoe and 
leather men and those of Boston were buying and 
selling together. And what Boston had proved 
good naturally found favor in Chicago eyes, and 
thus Boston's Commercial Club was the prototype 
for Chicago's. Boston had a population of about 
225,000 when its club was formed. Chicago had 
nearly 325,000, and the population of Cincinnati 
and St. Louis, respectively, must have been between 
these limits when their clubs were started several 
years afterward. 

On Thursday evening, the 27th of December, 
1877, seventeen gentlemen who favored the forma- 
tion of a commercial club — John W. Doane, Levi 
Z. Leiter, James M. Walker, Albert A. Sprague, 
Henry J. Macfarland, John M. Durand, William 
T. Baker, Charles E. Culver, Andrew Brown, John 
J. Janes, Anson Stager, George C. Clarke, Murry 
Nelson, Edson Keith, William A. Fuller, John T. 
McAuley, N. K. Fairbank — met at the rooms of 
the Chicago Club and organized under the name 
proposed by Mr. Doane — The Commercial Club 
of Chicago. And by Mr. Baker's motion it was 
decided that the seventeen men present, and those 
who had been invited but were not present — Mar- 
shall Field, Charles B. Kellogg, Charles M. Hen- 
derson, John Crerar, John Marshall Clark, 
J. Russell Jones, Solomon A. Smith, John 
B. Drake, Nathan Corwith, James H. Walker, 
and George M. Pullman — should be enrolled as 



13 



charter members. Levi Z. Leiter was chosen 
president, John W. Doane vice-president, Murry 
Nelson treasurer, and George C. Clarke secre- 
tary ; and the addition of General Stager, William 
T. Baker and Edson Keith completed the execu- 
tive committee. The members present were invited 
to suggest names of new members to the executive 
committee at least one week before the January 
meeting. 

General Stager submitted the draft of a consti- 
tution, which was at once adopted, the opening and 
most important clause of which specified that "For 
the purpose of advancing by social intercourse and 
by a friendly interchange of views the prosperity 
and growth of the city of Chicago, the Commercial 
Club is organized," and which clause never was 
changed until elaborated a little at the time that 
the Commercial and Merchants clubs were united 
into one, February 11, 1907. 

The constitution further provided that "the mem- 
bership shall in no case exceed the number of sixty ; 
the entrance fee shall be five dollars ; meetings shall 
be held monthly, except during the summer season, 
and on the third Saturday of the month; place of 
meeting to be designated by the Executive Com- 
mittee." The seventh paragraph provided that "in 
admission of members due regard shall be had, so 
far as practicable, to the branch of business in 
which they are engaged, so that the various commer- 
cial interests of the city shall be fairly represented 
in the club"; and the eighth, that "an assessment 
shall be laid at each meeting to cover the expenses 



14 



of the entertainment. Members who are absent and 
who have omitted to send satisfactory explanation 
to the Secretary in advance shall be liable to pay 
the same assessment as if they were present." 

The first copies of this constitution to be printed 
were in a little 4x6 chocolate-colored paper covered 
pamphlet of eight pages — small because it held 
only the constitution and list of first year officers 
and members — and the early dinner menus were on 
a small cardboard folder, 3^x4% inches, with es- 
calloped edges. 

Thirty-nine names are signed to this constitution. 
John W. Doane was the first man to sign the in- 
formal roll of members, December 29, 1877, but 
the names are written in different order when at- 
tached to the constitution as spread upon the record 
book. The facsimiles that appear on the following 
pages are interesting and to one who is familiar 
with the latest signatures of these men it is striking 
to note the very slight changes made in their pen- 
manship by the lapse of time. 

In the original book their names are in two 
columns on a single page. 



15 



FACSIMILE SIGNATURES 












4Arf. 



TO THE CONSTITUTION 








The first regular monthly meeting of the Com- 
mercial Club was held at the Chicago Club house 
in Monroe Street, opposite the Palmer House, on 
Saturday afternoon, January 19, 1878, at 3:30 
o'clock, with nineteen members and three guests 
present, one of whom, Rev. Clinton Locke, acted 
as chaplain. At this meeting the executive com- 
mittee was given the power not only to decide upon 
the subjects for discussion at the meetings, but to 
select one or more members of the club to speak 
to the subjects, and that selection was equivalent 
to a command. It was decided that the business 
meetings should open regularly at 5:30 p. m., to 
be followed by the dinner, and then by the discus- 
sion afterwards. 

To those who were present at this first regular 
meeting, this extract from the brief minutes of the 
Secretary may bring a vivid recollection of the 
time: "A congratulatory dispatch was received 
from the Boston Commercial Club, sent from their 
dinner table at the Parker House, and a reply was 
wired from the table of the Chicago Commercial 
Club." 

In the very beginning the founders had definite 
ideas about the purpose for which the club was 
formed, but not so definite about how to regulate 
its methods of procedure in the best and most effi- 
cient way. 

The subject for discussion at the first meeting 
was, "The purpose, scope and best method of 
conducting the club." The speakers' names do 
not appear in the minutes, and the surviving mem- 
bers do not recall who spoke; but the tradition is 



18 



that every actor in the little drama of that long 
ago time had a speaking part, and the presiding 
officer may have called upon the guests also to bear 
their testimony, and very likely Dr. Locke, with his 
ready wit and obliging spirit, closed the meeting. 
At any rate, this became the custom at subsequent 
meetings, honored in its observance, of giving the 
minister the last words before adjournment. 

Originally there were eight meetings in the year, 
one each in the months from October to May, in- 
clusive, but always the executive committee has 
had power to change the day or omit any of the 
meetings. The day was changed from the third 
to the last Saturday of the month, and when it was 
found difficult after a while to get good attendance 
at some of the spring meetings, the number was 
reduced to seven, and the season closed as now with 
April. 

There were other clubs, of course, but at the time 
of the formation of the Commercial Club the busi- 
ness men of Chicago had smaller acquaintance one 
with another than now, even though the smaller 
town gave better opportunities for acquaintance, 
and smaller perhaps than with merchants and man- 
ufacturers in the East. Mr. Baker delighted in 
telling how, during that first visit of the Boston 
Club, while in the Transit House lavatory, just 
before the luncheon, he was having some difficulty 
to hang his coat on a high peg, when a tall, hand- 
some man reached over and with, "Let me help you, 
please," placed it easily; and Baker turned to look 
into the smiling face of Otho Sprague. And a 



19 



smiling face it was — a winning smile that, having 
seen, one could not quickly forget. Up to that time 
these two men never had met, though both had been 
prominent here in business for many years. 

At first the dinners were not so elaborate as now ; 
there were not so many courses, but they were 
equally good. The members were not quite so well 
acquainted with each other, but the spirit was there. 
The charge was five dollars, and it was the treas- 
urer's duty to collect this either at the close of each 
meeting or very soon thereafter. Each member 
paid for his guest, also, if he had one, and some- 
thing more to provide for the guests of the club. 
In January of 1883 an annual assessment of $40.00 
was voted on each member, to provide for the year's 
regular expenses, and after that the monthly col- 
lection from the members was for their guests only. 
When the growth of extravagance and perhaps of 
waste showed that the amount of income thus de- 
rived was insufficient to meet the expenses, the 
yearly assessment was increased to sixty dollars, 
and the price for guests' dinners fixed at seven 
dollars and a half each. 

The club was especially fortunate in the rare 
quality of its original membership, composed of 
men who easily stood out above their fellows in the 
community; men who not only made themselves 
and their own businesses, but made the town they 
lived in, and loved it. Pullman and Fairbank and 
Field and Doane and Stager and Crerar and 
Letter and Farwell and the two Keiths and Ar- 
mour, and men like these, would have made their 

20 



mark anywhere, and in any time. They were for- 
tunate in their surroundings, too — the young and 
marvelously growing town, with boundless possi- 
bilities for trade within and around it, and a com- 
munity not bound by tradition — but the men con- 
tributed more than the environment. Possibly even 
abler men might not be so prominent now, because 
of the higher average in the grade of business men 
and the business enterprises they direct; but, 
whether or no, Chicago probably never will look 
upon such a group again — men so conspicuous for 
high ideals, strict integrity, liberality, public spirit. 

Competition was just as keen as before, perhaps 
even stronger, but the club took away its animos- 
ities, for men cannot sit opposite each other at 
dinner and look across the table into each other's 
eyes, they cannot work together tonight in commit- 
tee for the common good and then go out for un- 
businesslike competition tomorrow morning. 

The membership was intended to be representa- 
tive of the large business interests of the city, to 
consist of men of probity of character, of broad 
public spirit, who had proved their interest in the 
general welfare by a record of things actually done 
and of liberality, as well as by willingness to do 
more. To be eligible for membership a man must 
have shown conspicuous success in his private busi- 
ness, with a broad and comprehending sympathy 
with important affairs of city and state, and a gen- 
erous subordinating of self in the interests of the 
community — he must be a man of good deeds and 
clean thinking and high ideals, and with this much 



21 



in common there could hardly fail to be genial good 
fellowship and a proper regard for the amenities 
of life. The membership was to be small enough 
and homogeneous enough not to be unwieldy, yet 
embracing as wide a diversity of opinions as was 
compatible with that. It was to be a club of serious 
purpose, tolerant of opposing opinions, recognizing 
its obligation to the community, despising mean 
and sordid actions as men of high character do. In 
short, to be a member a man must be animated by 
the highest code of business and social ethics. 

The plan originally was to have not more than 
two members from any one line of trade, though 
changes in this came with the passing of time. 
There never was a f eeling of exclusiveness, and the 
club has always encouraged other clubs and associ- 
ations with objects of civic righteousness and ad- 
vancement, but with membership so limited as this 
it was not possible to include all men of suitable 
character and attainments in the city, and thus came 
about the formation of another similar body. 

A group of men full of the energy and enthusi- 
asm of youth, thinking there was work for them 
to do and believing it were better done by union of 
effort, organized the Merchants Club in 1896. The 
preliminary meeting for this organization was held 
at 2 p. m., November 30th, at the University Club, 
and the first regular meeting and dinner of the 
new club was at the Auditorium hotel on Sat- 
urday evening, February 6th, following. The most 
active men in the initial movement were Dunlap 
Smith, whose death, the second on the list of the 



22 



Merchants Club, came five years later, December 
25, 1901, and Arthur Meeker. There were thirty- 
two charter members, the total active membership 
being fixed first at forty, changed within the year 
to fifty, and again in 1899 to sixty. These were 
to be as nearly as possible representative of all lines 
of business in the city. The regular meetings were 
to be on the first Saturdays of the months, October 
to May inclusive, but soon changed to the second 
Saturdays, at 6:30 p. m., the number reduced to 
six — November to April, inclusive. The entrance 
fee originally five dollars, and annual fee two dol- 
lars, and the members to pay for their dinners 
at three dollars and a half each after each meeting, 
were changed afterwards to make the entrance fee 
twenty-five dollars and annual dues sixty dollars, 
covering the cost of dinners. 

John V. Farwell, Jr., was the first president, 
Dunlap Smith vice-president, Charles R. Corwith 
treasurer, Walter H. Wilson secretary, and Ar- 
thur Meeker, Clarence Buckingham and Harry 
Gordon Self ridge executive committee. Meetings 
of the executive committee were held weekly, usu- 
ally at the luncheon hour. 

The objects and plan of government of this club 
were very similar to those of the Commercial Club, 
except in the important provisions for keeping the 
membership young — "No one who has reached the 
age of forty-five years shall be eligible to active 
membership, and any member who has reached the 
age of fifty years shall thereupon become an hon- 
orary member, leaving a vacancy in the active list 



23 



to be filled. The name of this class of members 
was changed from "honorary" to "associate" very 
soon. 

Fines for active members for absence from meet- 
ings without acceptable reasons were five dollars, 
ten dollars and fifteen dollars, according to circum- 
stances. 

In January, 1900, an agreement was made be- 
tween the Commercial and Merchants Clubs that 
"No active member in either club shall be selected 
to membership in the other club until he has been 
for five years an active member in the club to which 
he was first elected," the understanding being that 
for existing memberships the five years should be- 
gin September 1, 1897, and end September 1, 1902. 
This agreement expired at the latter date by limi- 
tation. 

The Merchants Club always was active and pros- 
perous; its meetings were held regularly and 
largely attended; it inspired, aided and accom- 
plished very important work for civic welfare; it 
established the First Pawners' bank, developed new 
and improved systems of municipal accounting, and 
was influential in many other civic matters both 
separately and in conjunction with the Commercial 
Club; it took the initiative in the city plan prob- 
lem, and in every way demonstrated its power for 
good in the community, until finally its activities 
were merged in the Commercial Club's under the 
latter's name, in February, 1907. 

As with the Commercial Club, a few of its meet- 
ings were given over to entertainment only. It 



24 



visited the iron and copper country of northern 
Michigan as guests of Mr. H. R. McCullough and 
the C. & INT. W. Railway in June, 1901 ; it was en- 
tertained by Mr. Alfred Baker at the Onwentsia 
Club June 17, 1903; it visited Madison, Wisconsin, 
the same year, as guests of Mr. McCullough again ; 
and in the beginning of 1896 made a trip to Mexico 
by special train and held its fifty-fifth regular meet- 
ing at Cafe de Chapultepec in the City of Mexico 
on February 18th, with addresses in the vernacular 
by both Mexicans and members. 

Boston established its Merchants Club as early 
as 1884, thus antedating this club by about the same 
space of time as in the case of the two Commercial 
Clubs. 

The Boston and Cincinnati clubs have sometimes 
held meetings or outings in May at their country 
clubs or elsewhere, and the Merchants Club of Chi- 
cago has also held such meetings, but the Com- 
mercial Club of Chicago rarely has done so. 

Previous to the formation of the Cincinnati Com- 
mercial Club, July 29, 1880, the Chicago organi- 
zation was asked to send a committee to Cincinnati 
to tell of this club and its plans and its work. 
Messrs. John W. Doane, George C. Clarke and 
Murry Nelson represented Chicago, and Cincinnati 
made its organization identical in object with this 
club's and its constitution almost identical in terms. 

When the St. Louis club was formed the next 
February, it also followed the same lines, and thus 
the four clubs practically are the same in objects 
and interests. In each case the rapid growth of 



25 



the city and its commerce showed the importance 
of the water supply and drainage, sewers, bridges, 
and river and harbor improvements, etc., requir- 
ing action of municipal and state legislatures, and, 
hence, the foundation of these clubs, — that the 
business men might be better informed about and 
more effectively influence the improvement and 
control of these ^yorks. What more natural than 
that the same causes should have produced the same 
results? 

No man who has sought election for himself, by 
lobbying or otherwise, has succeeded in getting the 
unanimous recommendation of the executive com- 
mittee necessary to present his name to the Com- 
mercial Club for its ballots, and so carefully has 
the work of the committee been done that no man 
who has had that recommendation has failed of 
election finally, though several times the elections 
have been postponed that club members might have 
opportunity to investigate for themselves the quali- 
fications of candidates. 

In two cases sons have succeeded their fathers, 
after an interval, and in one case father, son and 
grandson all have been members, though not all at 
the same time. 

The growth of the city in size and in kinds of 
business furnishes reasons why the membership 
should grow larger with the passing years, opposed 
by inducements to limited membership and there- 
fore greater possible homogeneity and sympathetic 
spirit at meetings. Duties and obligations sit more 
lightly on the individuals in a large membership 

26 



than if smaller. When the Merchants Club was 
united with the Commercial the active membership 
limit was fixed at ninety. 

Neither the religion, politics or racial derivation 
of members or speakers has ever been analyzed. 
There always has been great catholicity in these re- 
spects. 

In the beginning the customs of the club were 
quite different from present-day customs. Sev- 
eral of the dinners in the first season were held in 
the afternoon, and the dress therefor, of course, 
was either the frock coat of Sunday wear or the 
customary business dress. When a later dinner 
hour was adopted there was at the same time a 
rigid rule requiring evening dress, though this met 
with some little opposition, for the business hours 
were longer then than now, and some members ob- 
jected that evening dress encouraged formality, 
and there was hardly time to go home, dress and 
return in time for the dinner. 

But the rule was inflexible, and so was the sec- 
retary. It is not possible to overestimate how 
much it meant to the club that it should have had 
but two secretaries in the first twenty-four years 
after its foundation, both men of such unusual char- 
acter — George C. Clarke and John James Janes. 
These secretaries were deeply attached to the club 
and had a personal pride in it, and nothing was so 
difficult or so distasteful that they would not do it 
cheerfully if for the good of the organization. 
Their painstaking devotion to its welfare and their 
genial personalities made them universal favorites 
among the members. 

27 



There were advantages in the continuing secre- 
taries. The club was too young for traditions ; the 
secretary took the place of tradition, and by his 
means traditions were built up and preserved in 
ways that could not have been otherwise. These 
secretaries were most punctilious and courteous in 
correspondence with the lowliest as with the great- 
est of the land, and gave personal and never-failing 
attention to every detail of meeting and dinner and 
subject. Their devotion encouraged the same inter- 
est and devotion in the members. 

It is one thing to induce regular attendance after 
a club has proved its worth and importance and 
achieved its recognized position, but a very differ- 
ent thing when that same club was in the formative 
period, with no record behind it; and indeed there 
were occasions in the first years to admonish many 
members to be more regular in attendance or in 
sending regrets that furnished an acceptable rea- 
son. The first device to induce, not to say compel, 
attendance was the implication in the constitution 
that members, if absent, might be required to pay 
the same amount as if present. There was a rule, 
too, that absence from three consecutive meetings 
without acceptable excuse served to cancel mem- 
bership automatically. One noted banker was 
asked if he no longer cared for the club when he 
was absent from several meetings. Another mem- 
ber was warned that irregular attendance was put- 
ting his membership in jeopardy. Some of the best 
members of the club were subjects of this attention 
on the part of the executive committee. Several 



28 



responded with humble and contrite apologies and 
earnest promises of reform, and were reinstated. 
This attention of its officers, and the demonstration 
that each meeting gave of the importance and pos- 
sibilities of the club produced that spirit of devotion 
and loyalty that has become its marked characteris- 
tic. It became so much the thing to be regular and 
regardful of one's duties and responsibilities in the 
club that members have been known — not once, but 
many times — to leave business engagements in New 
York or Boston or elsewhere, and come home to 
Chicago for one day to attend a meeting, and 
return at once to resume the interrupted business. 
At the first assembling of the executive commit- 
tee after the club dinner, the secretary would re- 
port absentees — so many without regrets, so many 
with regrets, stating what the grounds were. It 
then would be "voted that So and so's regrets were 
not satisfactory and that the secretary so notify 
him." The force of admonition and example, and 
the growing realization of duty made this sort of 
thing rarely necessary after the first two years. 

On an occasion when twenty-eight members 
were present, with eight guests, making thirty-six 
in all, of the thirty absentees seven sent no regrets 
whatever, and of the twenty-three regrets received 
nine were unsatisfactory. At another meeting 
there were thirty-six absentees out of fifty-eight 
members. In one case a special committee was ap- 
pointed to wait upon the offending and neglectful 
member, "to ascertain if his uniform absence from 
the meetings was caused by lack of interest in the 



29 



club." But to guard against possible neglect or 
an occasionally defective memory, and to make the 
assurance of attendance or a proper notice doubly 
sure, at the end of the fourth year the Secretary 
was instructed to prepare a new article of the con- 
stitution, which was adopted at the March meeting, 
1884, providing for a fine of ten dollars for mem- 
bers who were absent from any regular meeting 
without having sent proper regrets, and making 
infliction of the fine imperative. 

The club was governed by an executive com- 
mittee, which always has met soon after the regular 
dinner, and again shortly before the next dinner, 
and as often as seemed necessary between these 
times. These meetings usually were at the lunch- 
eon hour at one of the down town clubs, generally 
at the Chicago Club, though, for a time, at the 
Union League, and occasionally at the offices of 
president or secretary, or sometimes at their homes 
in the evening. After February 6, 1885, it was 
customary to pay for these luncheons from the 
club's treasury, but this custom was discontinued 
several years ago, and now the committee meets 
weekly, and each member pays for his luncheon 
himself. 

The law of the club, albeit unwritten, always 
has been that each administration was elected for 
one year only, to be followed by a new election 
and an almost entirely new administration — one or 
two members to be re-elected to provide some con- 
tinuity in the plans from year to year. So fortu- 
nate was the club in its early secretaries that this 

30 



official was treated as continuing. George Clarke, 
the first secretary, held the office until his health 
failed in the fall of 1885, and when John Janes, 
the succeeding secretary, passed away in 1901 
after fifteen years of devoted service, no one could 
be found able to give the necessary time and at- 
tention for long. To meet this condition and still 
not make an entire break in official organization, 
it was provided then that two members of the exec- 
utive committee should be elected for two years, 
and the retiring president should hold over for the 
next year as member of the executive committee. 

The club honored itself while it honored its sec- 
retaries. Though he knew he was doomed, and the 
doom only a little while in the future, Mr. Clarke 
responded in cheerfulness and high spirits when in 
1886 the club sent to him at Thomasville, Georgia, 
with the affectionate regards of its members, a 
splendid silver loving cup; and Mr. Janes in the 
same way, as soon as he recovered from his sur- 
prise at the receipt of a silver service in January, 
1891. The cheer of these men under adverse con- 
ditions was ever bright. When confined to his bed 
with three broken ribs and other painful injuries, 
Secretary Janes apologized for non-appearance at 
the dinner of November 25, 1889, in this way: "The 
Secretary presents his compliments to his fellow 
members, and begs to remark that having drawn 
the capital prize in a recent railroad accident, and 
being somewhat 'rattled — in his ribs,' he will be 
obliged to forego the pleasure of being present 
at this meeting, but will prepare the diagram as 
usual," etc. 



31 



At the meeting of January 30, 1886, Mr. John 
Crerar, when Mr. Clarke's health compelled him to 
retire as secretary, submitted the following: 

"The Commercial Club of Chicago was orga- 
nized December 27, 1877, and from that date to the 
present meeting, George C. Clarke has been its 
secretary. 

"The Club has honored itself by giving him its 
unanimous endorsement and approval, as indicated 
by his repeated and always unanimous re-election, 
and it is eminently fit and proper that a minute 
should be made on the records of the club, expres- 
sive of the feelings of the members, as they part 
from him as their secretary and sunder the many 
ties that have bound them to him in official rela- 
tionship. 

"Those of us who have been associated with him 
in the government of the club will bear willing 
testimony to the zeal and fidelity with which he 
has always discharged the duties of his position and 
made the burden of the office all the easier for the 
rest of us by his complete knowledge of the details 
of the official business since the organization of the 
club. 

"An affable and courteous gentleman, he had 
'the heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, 
and the hand to execute,' and it is not saying too 
much to affirm that no one member has done more, 
nay, has done as much, by active, intelligent and 
conscientious personal work, in and out of execu- 
tive session, to keep the club in good working or- 
der, by the use of sound common business sense, 
added to a clear and comprehensive understanding 
of the reasons for the organization of the club and 
the results to be obtained by honest and pure views 
of business life and character. He laid the foun- 



32 



dation of your club sure and strong, and brought 
into hearty co-operation and friendly sympathy 
interests that had been widely scattered, and thus 
secured benefits to all, changed acquaintances into 
friends, and gave an impulse to manly life by bring- 
ing us all together, so that we could see each other 
face to face and look each other level in the eye. 

"Holding these views, and knowing that we voice 
the sentiments of our fellow members, I move, on 
behalf of the committee, 

"That the hearty thanks of the Commercial Club 
of Chicago be, and they are hereby, tendered to Mr. 
George C. Clarke, for the faithful and devoted 
manner in which he has performed the duties of 
secretary of the club since the date of its organi- 
zation, coupled with the earnest wish of each and 
every member that his health may speedily become 
re-established and that we may be enabled soon to 
welcome him back, and show him by our unselfish 
devotion and kindness that we have kept some of 
the spirit with which he has served us, lo, these 
many years. 

"But, Mr. President, these are mere words, even 
if the heart be behind them, and your committee 
has therefore procured, for presentation to Mr. 
Clarke as a further proof of your esteem and 
friendship, the solid silver loving-cup which stands 
before you, suitably engraved, as a gift from you 
all." 

"John Crerar, 
"John M. Clark, 
"Edson Keith, 

Committee." 



33 



To be chosen an officer of the club has been a 
coveted distinction, though often accepted with 
some trepidation — a trepidation born from the 
sense of responsibility. The chronological lists of 
meetings and subjects of discussion show the offi- 
cers and their terms of service. Several of the most 
prominent of the early members never held office, 
though the chief executive position was at different 
times urged upon them — Field and Pullman and 
Crerar, among those who have gone, and others 
who still are here. They felt honored in the choice, 
but distrustful of ability to give time and attention 
to the work. A diligent but not quite successful 
effort has been made to present in this book pic- 
tures of all former presidents of the club. 

The Club never has had a home, and its meetings, 
therefore, have been movable as to place and some- 
what changeable as to time — at first early in the 
afternoon and afterwards changed to a later hour; 
at first circulating from one hotel to another, or at 
different clubs; once even at the Literary Club, 
where were supposed to be meager culinary appli- 
ances. That was an occasion when the plain living 
and high thinking of the Literary Club might be 
absorbed without in any way sacrificing the com- 
mercial habit of plain speaking — this time to the 
subject of "Smoke, steam whistles and bad streets." 

The regular meetings, always preceded by din- 
ners, have been held at the Chicago, Literary, and 
Calumet Clubs, at Kinsley's, at the Grand Pacific, 
Palmer, Tremont, Sherman, Leland, Richelieu, 
Metropole, Auditorium and Congress hotels. Pos- 

34 



sibly because of the dignity that accompanies age, 
the club dinners are generally held in the same place 
now, month after month; but in reality that cus- 
tom began when one of its old members in the hotel 
business, Mr. John B. Drake, showed his appre- 
ciation of the club by giving unusual service. Mr. 
Drake declared it was his privilege, and he insisted 
that the club should dine at his hotel. He prided 
himself on the quality of the dinners, on the special 
dishes that he presented, on the elegance of the 
appointments and promptness of service, whether 
his compensation equalled the cost to him or not. 
He was interested in the objects of the club, and 
especially in the Manual Training School. In Jan- 
uary, 1890, by his invitation, he entertained the 
club and the faculty and students of the school at 
an elaborate dinner, following the commencement 
exercises. Fine examples of the students' work 
were shown, and the club members were made bet- 
ter acquainted with the results and possibilities of 
the school. 

Eighty-nine of the first one hundred and twenty- 
five regular dinners of the club were held at the 
Grand Pacific hotel, under the management of 
Drake, Parker & Co. The meeting of March 30, 
1895, was the last under that management, 
the firm retiring from business, partly because 
of the illness of Mr. Drake, and partly because 
one-half of the building could no longer be had 
for hotel purposes. The club in suitable reso- 
lutions expressed regret at leaving the familiar 
quarters where there had been so much good cheer. 



35 



Originally it was arranged that the dinners 
should cost about five dollars per plate, and the 
price was collected from each member at the time 
of the dinner, each man, of course, paying for his 
own guest. After awhile there appears in the min- 
utes of the executive committee: "Voted, that the 
secretary circulate a subscription paper among 
members, for a fund to defray the expenses of 
entertaining club guests at dinner," and presently 
it was provided that "an assessment be made at 
the beginning of each year on all members, to pro- 
vide for the expense of the eight meetings of the 
year," and the amount was fixed at forty dollars. 
Extra assessments were made for some special or 
unusual dinners, notably the dinner to General 
Grant, where there was a profuse decoration of 
flowers, etc., and great pains were taken to have 
the dinner and the wines of the highest quality. 

At first it was the custom of the executive com- 
mittee to appoint from its own members a commit- 
tee of one or two, to arrange for the coming dinner, 
a different committee for each dinner. After a 
time the dinner committee was appointed in the 
same way to act for the full year. Still later the 
dinner arrangements were left to the discretion of 
the full executive committee. 

The question of dinner, always of exceeding great 
importance, has its importance enhanced, if that 
is possible, in this club. Men are susceptible to the 
demands of appetite and rejoice in the good things 
of the table, and here, where the eating precedes 
the discussion, and where the committee selects the 



36 



menu, the importance cannot be overrated. Be- 
sides the eight men of the committee there were 
fifty-two of the rank and file, with fifty-two dif- 
ferent sets of ideas and appetites to be appeased, 
and each privileged to express satisfaction or dis- 
satisfaction. Some believed in generous dining 
and wining, at least while they were young; 
and so the dinners were increased in quality and 
in length and in style and in cost, and the annual 
assessment or dues became sixty dollars instead of 
forty. There have been protests against long din- 
ners, and protests against short dinners, and, again, 
protests against rich dinners, and still again pro- 
tests against simple dinners; but always there has 
been toleration, for even those who are abstemi- 
ously compelled do not insist that because of their 
virtue there shall be no more cakes and ale. 

The dinner committee was followed by a seating 
committee, chosen in the same way. That commit- 
tee met on Friday evenings preceding the dinners, 
and wrestled with the problem of putting side by 
side the men who would be most congenial, and 
separating, as widely as possible, some others. 
Sometimes their labors stretched into the small 
hours of the night. If the capacity for infinite 
pains is the true measure of genius, this committee 
of the olden time always measured up to the high- 
est standard of genius. The increased size of the 
club has so added to the difficulties of this com- 
mittee that the present plan has been adopted of 
letting this responsibility rest more lightly on those 
in charge. 



37 



There have been special dinners, as for Grant on 
his return from his trip around the world, for Sheri- 
dan on removing to Washington, to the two Sher- 
mans, warrior and statesman, and for various Pres- 
idents. There have been marked dinners, when 
noted judges, lawyers, senators, and officials of 
various ranks have not hesitated in emphatic speech 
in praise, or more emphatic condemnation of the 
policies of the club or the subjects presented. One 
or two have shown a little infirmity of temper, as 
when the governor of the State some years ago took 
advantage of his opportunity to go outside of the 
subject to free his mind because of personal criti- 
cism by Chicago papers. The club has been so hon- 
ored by its many distinguished guests that these 
one or two exceptions stand out with somewhat 
startling clearness. 

A few meetings were for entertainment only, 
as when Paul Du Chaillu spoke of his African ex- 
plorations, when Dr. Barrows told of his year's 
work in India, when Tripler discoursed on liquid 
air and Tesla exploited the potentialities of elec- 
tricity. 

There have been special meetings to express sor- 
row at the death or removal of comrades, there 
have been meetings of congratulation and welcome 
to national officials and visiting friends and to 
members who have been chosen for high office. The 
club has entertained statesmen and soldiers and 
artists and men of letters, and foreign potentates 
and their representatives, and its pleasantest mem- 
ories cluster about the entertainments to and by the 
similar clubs of Boston, Cincinnati and St. Louis. 



38 



There have been special trips and excursions, 
voyages of pleasure, and informing journeys. Ex- 
changes of hospitality between Boston, Chicago, 
Cincinnati and St. Louis have been delightful and 
most important, and the friendships made between 
the men and the clubs and the cities have a value 
that cannot be expressed. These four organiza- 
tions have united the four cities in neighborly feel- 
ing and developed a spirit of comradeship, and to- 
gether make a power for the highest commercial 
integrity and enterprise, and a bulwark against 
encroachment of whatever smacks of civic dishonor 
or disgrace. 

The club has asked no favors and has paid its 
way. Not that it has not accepted invitations, for 
these have been most generously and graciously 
made, and graciously accepted, from railroads and 
cities, and other clubs and individuals, but, except 
when it was an invited guest, the club has paid its 
own transportation and all expenses. It has re- 
ceived much flattering and generous hospitality, 
has been royally entertained by Boston and Cincin- 
nati and St. Louis and the similar clubs there, it 
has been entertained by cities of the far west and of 
the Pacific coast, it has traveled east and west as 
guests of important railroads, the most notable of 
these trips being to California, but no invitation 
ever has been extended or accepted with an ulterior 
motive, and though in its travels it frequently has 
been offered compliments of sleeping cars and spe- 
cial trains and travel facilities and custom houses, 
it has preferred to pay its own way. 



39 



In all there have been held by the Commercial 
and Merchants Clubs since their formation until 
the close of the last club year, May 1, 1909, two 
hundred and seventy regular meetings. At these 
meetings about one hundred and twenty-five sep- 
arate subjects were discussed, and after making 
allowance for a few meetings when there was no 
subject, this indicates that some subjects must have 
been considered more than once. Several of the 
subjects seem to have had perennial interest. 

More than fifty meetings have been devoted to 
the consideration of municipal affairs in their vari- 
ous branches, at least a dozen upon taxation, and 
an equal number about the city plan, nearly as 
many about education, about elections, about 
strictly national affairs, about foreign relations, 
about the World's Fair, and complimentary to offi- 
cials, more than three times as many about this 
and kindred organizations and what they properly 
could do, and only four that were solely for enter- 
tainment. 

The discussions have been upon a great variety 
of topics or at least there has been a great variety 
in the wording of the topics. These have embraced 
commerce and industry and education and philan- 
thropy and politics as related to the general wel- 
fare, etc., etc. The speaking never has been confined 
to club members. On the contrary, the club has 
been glad to offer a forum for the expression of the 
views of statesmen and soldiers, professional men 
and men of affairs generally. 



40 



In the Commercial Club minutes eighty-four dif- 
ferent ministers are mentioned as having been pres- 
ent at meetings; at ten meetings the minister's 
name is not mentioned, though one was present, 
and at six of the closed meetings there was no min- 
ister. The minister's name is not given for the 
sixty-one meetings of the Merchants Club. 

The chaplains almost universally have been fa- 
vorites with the members. However vigorously 
they may have spoken of men's sins on Sunday 
mornings, they usually w^ere genial and complacent 
on Saturday nights. When some member did not 
call for and bring the minister, the club provided a 
carriage to bring him to the meeting and take him 
home. Almost always the minister was given the 
last words before adjournment, and usually the 
flowers from the speakers' table were sent home to 
gladden the heart of the minister's wife, and per- 
haps to mollify her possible criticism of the late- 
ness of the hour of return of her lord. 

There have been many brilliant men in the min- 
istry in Chicago, and many of these have been 
called to at least point toward straight and narrow 
paths at the Saturday evening meetings, and some- 
times the discussions on Saturday evenings in the 
club may have suggested practical applications for 
Sunday morning discourses in the church. Once, 
because of an inclement night and an indifferent 
coachman, Dr. Locke was a little late, and on en- 
tering the room found everybody seated and the 
dinner in progress. His remark as he took his seat, 
that if too late to say grace he hoped at least he was 



41 



in time to return thanks, was the prelude and 
promise for a pleasant talk at the close of the meet- 
ing. 

It was related — not recorded in the minutes — 
that on one occasion, at an executive committee 
meeting, one member wanted to know why his min- 
ister should not be selected as chaplain for the next 
meeting, and when asked his name in order that the 
invitation might be given — "Well — er — hang it all, 
what is his name? I'll find out and let you know it 
in the morning." 

The club has desired to avoid extravagance in 
its expenses. Except when some enterprise of unu- 
sual importance was undertaken, great enough to 
be financed by itself, it has been a matter of pride 
and principle on the part of the management that 
the ordinary expenses for the year should be met 
by the ordinary income from dues and fines. This 
has not been a carking care or anxiety to the man- 
agement, since there has been always the knowl- 
edge that in the final analysis bankruptcy might 
be avoided by calling upon the members for a 
horizontal contribution. The words "assessment 
to prevent or overcome a deficit" have had a harsh 
and disagreeable sound for official ears, and the 
softer "to prorate the expenses" has become the 
more popular expression, and doubtless equally 
productive. 

The name Commercial Club has been honored by 
the institutions of Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati and 
St. Louis. Other Commercial Clubs, so-called, 

42 



have been formed in many cities, animated in part 
by similar purposes and desires, but so far as known 
none have been so permanent and none have reached 
the same plane of efficiency and high endeavor, and 
sometimes the name has seemed a misnomer. 

It has been said in criticism that the club has 
done little, much less than should have been ex- 
pected — that having much in ability and oppor- 
tunity much in performance should be required 
of it. Often it has preferred to work through other 
instrumentalities. Indeed, for many years it was 
its custom merely to discuss the topics for the in- 
formation of its members, and endeavor to have the 
actual work done by individuals outside or by other 
organizations. The early records show that it was 
not unusual to ask some other body to carry out 
some object that had been discussed, as when it 
called upon the Citizens' Association to appoint a 
committee on gambling, and, again, to give aid in 
the anarchist trials following the bomb throwing at 
Haymarket Square, and also in the boodler trials 
in the County Board under the direction of Murry 
Nelson, when the Commercial Club made up a 
guaranty fund of one hundred and fifty-five thou- 
sand dollars for the expenses of detectives and in- 
vestigators which the County was unable to provide. 

The Commercial Club dates from December, 
1877. It was democratic only in that its officers, 
except the secretary, were supposed each to be sat- 
isfied with a single term of one year. Its member- 
ship of sixty, though it was specified that not more 

43 



than fifty of these should be chosen the first year, 
was so small that each man might reasonably hope 
to become president in the fullness of time. The 
first treasurer held office for four years, and other 
treasurers have been re-elected. 

At the banquet that preceded the organization 
of the Commercial Club, it developed that Boston 
had readier speakers than were found among busi- 
ness men in this western city, and it is one of the 
traditions, ancient and severe, that if Chicago had 
not called upon the professions in the persons of 
J. M. Walker, Esq., and Wirt Dexter, Esq., for 
aid, the impression made would have been distinctly 
inferior in comparison. Since then there has been 
developed here a greater proportion of men who 
think clearly and logically and talk fluently when 
on their feet. 

In January, 1885, the secretary was instructed 
to procure a suitable photograph album and en- 
deavor to get cabinet photographs of every member 
of the club, living or dead. And now that the 
necrology list has grown so large, we can realize 
the interest and value that would lie in such an 
album if it had been provided. But, alas, after 
two years the secretary was obliged to report that 
when he had procured his own and one other, he 
would have two of the desired photographs. 
Though he has made identical reports several times 
since then, perhaps it is not too late now to remedy 
this omission, or to attempt it. 

Founded by a handful of earnest men on strict- 
ly democratic principles, with minds open to hear 



44 



all sides and accept the good from opposing views, 
it nevertheless would have been more than human 
to expect that there never should arise a feeling of 
superiority among charter members over those who 
came next, and in those who came next over the 
still later members, and as one looks back through 
the vista of thirty-two years, it is apparent that 
some of this feeling still persists. The years filled 
with high endeavor, restless energy and a due meas- 
ure of accomplishment have not destroyed this su- 
perior feeling, but have fostered an intense devo- 
tion to the organization and pride in its good name 
that have kept undesirable elements out of the 
membership, or if perchance one departed ever so 
little from the rule of strict integrity and honor the 
atmosphere was so depressing and unfriendly that 
he soon dropped out without remark. 

The list of meetings and subjects gives only an 
inadequate idea of the activities of the Commercial 
and Merchants Clubs. Of the two hundred and 
seventy regular meetings, it is within bounds to say 
that each one has helped to forward some good end, 
and many of them have been the initial and moving 
causes of important achievements. It would be 
invidious and almost impossible to estimate the 
relative value of these meetings or say which were 
the most important, bearing in mind that in any 
great permanent work the prime necessity is for 
forming public opinion before there can be any 
accomplishment. 

At some of the early meetings, in 1878, the dis- 
cussions and the subsequent action by the members 



45 



were influential in restoring the confidence of the 
public in the certificates of indebtedness or scrip 
which the city for several years had been issuing to 
raise money in the interim between the voting of 
appropriations and the collection of taxes, and 
which for that year amounted to about four mil- 
lions of dollars. This scrip had been used to pay 
policemen, firemen, teachers, and the daily ex- 
penses of conducting the city's business. The prob- 
ability that their issue might be declared illegal and 
the city enjoined from payment reduced their cur- 
rent value until the agitation of this club raised the 
quotation to about par and saved the credit of the 
city. Similar certificates have not been issued since. 
Perhaps the meetings from which the club's in- 
fluence was most directly and speedily felt were 
those that resulted in founding the Chicago Manual 
Training School ; in presenting to the United States 
Government the site for Fort Sheridan, and to the 
State the site for the Second Regiment Armory; in 
the prosecution and punishment of certain county 
and municipal officials; in the original efforts for 
legislation for the Drainage Canal; in its early ad- 
vocacy and support of the World's Columbian Ex- 
position; in raising endowment funds for the Illi- 
nois Manual Training School at Glenwood and the 
St. Charles School for Boys; in presenting to the 
United States Government a site for the Naval 
Training School at Lake Bluff; in establishing a 
street cleaning bureau for the city ; in presenting to 
the city a site for public playgrounds at Chicago 
avenue and Lincoln street; in establishing the 



46 



First State Pawners' society; in the inquiry into 
the city's accounting methods that resulted in new 
and improved systems; and, most recent of all, in 
its earnest efforts to amend the general school law 
to provide improvements in the system of public 
education, and in the inception and development of 
the Chicago Plan. These and other philanthropic 
and public spirited works of these two clubs, now 
merged into one, have involved the collection and 
disbursement of more than a million of dollars, and 
have been potent in many reforms and improve- 
ments. 

The discussions in the meetings have given the 
members new ideas and inspired them with new 
ideals, and induced broader views of their relations 
to their neighbors. They have given unbounded 
faith each in the others and in the city, and it is 
not vainglorious to believe that association together 
in the objects of this club has made for higher citi- 
zenship. If the new city plan never shall be ac- 
complished, it has made better and more intelligent 
and devoted citizens of those who have worked it 
out and of those who have listened to them. 

There have been a number of special or marked 
meetings, the first of which, the dinner to Gen. 
Grant when he was returning from his tour around 
the world, was even more than a dinner of the Com- 
mercial Club; it was a function of representative 
citizens to honor the greatest military genius of the 
country, and was as brilliant and fine as the club 
could make it. There was no economy of pains or 
expense or labor. Officials and members alike vied 

47 



with each other in marks of high esteem and appre- 
ciation of the honored guest, and the General him- 
self was as modest and unassuming as became the 
great man he was. The Grand Pacific was in gala 
dress on this occasion, December 6, 1879 ; there were 
one hundred and forty-four members and guests in 
attendance, including delegates from the Boston 
Club and from the States adjoining Illinois, the 
military in full uniform. The welcome by Presi- 
dent Doane and others on the part of the club, and 
the gracious response by Gen. Grant, Gen. Horace 
Porter and others of the visitors emphasized and 
increased the prevailing spirit of good fellowship. 
With true hospitality, as few demands as possible 
were made upon the guests, that they might find 
their visit comfortable and agreeable. 

The forty-third regular dinner of the Commercial 
Club, November 24, 1883, was made as a compli- 
ment and farewell to Lieut. Gen. Philip Sheri- 
dan, when he left Chicago to take up his residence 
in Washington. It was given at the Calumet Club, 
with one hundred and twenty-five members and 
guests. Besides Gen. Sheridan's own feeling re- 
marks, there were addresses by Gen. Schofield, 
Edward G. Mason, Rev. Louis S. Osborne, Hon. J. 
Sterling Morton, and Franklin MacVeagh. 

A most important meeting was that concerning 
the Manual Training School, March 25, 1882. Mur- 
ry Nelson, at the suggestion of Colonel Augustus 
Jacobson and Mr. Charles Ham, had proposed the 
foundation of this school, in which he was ably 
assisted by John M. Clark. At this meeting Mr. 



48 



Field made one of the very few speeches of his life, 
and closed by heading the subscription paper with 
his contribution of twenty thousand dollars, and 
fifty-seven thousand dollars were pledged before 
the adjournment. 

Another important meeting of the same character 
was the one planning for Fort Sheridan, May 30, 
1885, at the Grand Pacific hotel, another of the 
rare occasions when Mr. Field spoke. Those meet- 
ings on the subject of Chicago's Drainage and 
Water Supply, with addresses by eminent engi- 
neers and others, that on the Annexation of Ha- 
waii, when Dr. von Hoist made a masterly address, 
and that on the Open Door in China, which meet- 
ing was complimentary to Lord Charles Beresford, 
were notable. 

The dinner on Washington's birthday, 1892, at 
Grand Pacific hotel, when the subject discussed 
was the World's Fair, was the largest during the 
Club's history, when 47 members, 40 members' 
guests, and 152 club guests sat down to dine, a total 
of 239. Arrangements had been made to seat 48 
more, and at the last moment two tables that were 
unoccupied were removed. The Mayor, Senators 
and Representatives in Congress, representative of- 
ficials from abroad, and other eminent men made 
short and stirring addresses. Notwithstanding the 
large number present, this dinner was served with 
the same care and promptness as all the others, and 
there was no sense of haste or crowding or con- 
fusion. 

There was a long series of meetings about the 



49 



World's Fair, before and after this one, addressed 
by eminent speakers, preceding the Fair and during 
the Fair and afterwards, to the great benefit of the 
enterprise and of the city. Later there were several 
meetings in the interest of the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition. 

There were dinners to Presidents and Ex-Presi- 
dents and Presidents-elect and cabinet officers. 

Several of the best meetings were when speakers 
had disappointed the executive committee and 
compelled it to make new arrangements at the last 
moment. Once the meeting was adjourned just as 
the speaking began, because of the announcement 
of the assassination of Mayor Harrison, October 
28, 1893. 

Several times meetings have been omitted be- 
cause of the death of a member just before the 
meeting. 

Very rarely, only once or twice, have ladies been 
admitted at the meetings, and then only in some 
representative capacity, not from lack of gallantry, 
let us hasten to add. The Boston club has been 
more gallant, and at least once gave a "Reception to 
the Ladies," April 23, 1885. 

The club has taken several important trips or ex- 
cursions, sometimes on its own initiative, sometimes 
on the invitation of the kindred clubs, and occasion- 
ally as the guest of individuals. The first of these 
was to Boston in June, 1879, at the invitation of the 
Boston club. The Chicago club chartered a special 
train, and a goodly proportion of its members made 
the trip and were hospitably entertained for three 

50 



days, receiving every attention, including a sail 
down the bay under the auspices of the Eastern 
Yacht club, a fish dinner at Tafts, and finally a 
grand banquet at Horticultural Hall on the last 
evening. That was a great meeting. After a 
charming welcome by the President of the Boston 
club, Mr. J. W. Candler, with response by Mr. 
Doane for Chicago and some remarks by Mr. Mac- 
Veagh, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes read his poem, 
written for this occasion, and at its conclusion gra- 
ciously gave the original manuscript into the hands 
of President Doane for the club. The poet Long- 
fellow was present also and spoke briefly, and so did 
Phillips Brooks. Holmes was 70 and Longfellow 
72 years old, and both were in delicate health, but 
Brooks was in the prime of physical vigor. 

By invitation, the Cincinnati and St. Louis clubs 
visited Chicago May 25-28, 1882, and were enter- 
tained at the thirty-fourth regular dinner on the 
27th. Words of pleasant greeting were spoken by 
representatives of both of the visiting clubs, by 
Chicago members and by Gen. Sheridan and Rev. 
R. A. Holland. Though a regular dinner, this was 
somewhat more elaborate than customary, and an 
extra assessment of ten dollars was made upon each 
member of the Chicago club. Rev. Brooke Her- 
ford was chaplain, and 47 members, 29 guests, and 
66 club guests, including the visitors, were present. 

Boston's club went to St. Louis in November of 
this year, but did not come to Chicago. 

Chicago's club accepted the Boston club's invita- 
tion and visited them, June 27 and 28, 1885, when 



51 



Franklin MacVeagh was president and made a 
speech that was quoted by newspapers and periodi- 
cals all over the country and praised for its grace 
and force and meaning. 

There was hanging in the Boston Athenaeum at 
this time a portrait of Gen. Henry Dearborn, paint- 
ed by Gilbert Stuart in 1812, the property of the 
Dearborn family. Owing to reverses in the family 
fortunes the portrait was for sale. Besides its ar- 
tistic importance, it was of interest to Chicago be- 
cause of General Dearborn's distinguished military 
services during the revolutionary war and as Secre- 
tary of War in President Jefferson's cabinet in 
1803, when he directed the building of the outpost 
at Chicago that was named Fort Dearborn in his 
honor. As commander in chief of all United States 
forces he planned the defense of this northwest 
territory, including Fort Dearborn, though these 
plans were superseded by counter orders from 
the War Department at Washington that re- 
sulted in the massacre of 1812-13. While on the 
dining car on the return trip the club members 
made up a purse of several thousand dollars to buy 
the painting, and subsequently they presented it to 
the Calumet Club on its next Old Settlers' day. It 
now hangs in that club house. There were four 
copies of the painting, but this one is the original. 

Boston's club visited Chicago again June 8 to 11, 
1887, when the dinner was at the Grand Pacific; 
chaplain, Prof. Swing; 45 members, 42 guests, 50 
club guests, including visitors. Part of the enter- 
tainment on this visit was taking the Boston guests 
to Minneapolis and St. Paul on a special and beau- 



52 



tif ully equipped train, with a banquet at Lake Min- 
netonka, at invitation of men of the Twin Cities. 

During the week of June 2, 1889, in the company 
of the Cincinnati and St. Louis clubs, the Chicago 
club had the pleasure of a trip over the Chesapeake 
& Ohio railroad as guests of President Ingalls, and 
visited White Sulphur Springs, Natural Bridge, 
Old Point Comfort, Norfolk, Portsmouth, James- 
town, etc. 

On the 29th of October, 1891, and for the three 
days following, the club was honored by a visit from 
the Boston, Cincinnati and St. Louis clubs ; dinner 
October 31st, at Grand Pacific hotel, Dr. McPher- 
son as chaplain. Mr. Marvin Hughitt was presi- 
dent, and the spokesmen for the visitors were such 
men as Alpheus Hardy, Hon. John W. Candler of 
Boston, M. C. Ingalls and George H. Burrows of 
Cincinnati, Col. Leighton and Gov. Stannard of St. 
Louis. 

Upon the cordial invitation of Frederick Layton, 
Esq., the club visited the Layton Art Galleries in 
Milwaukee on Thursday, June 1st, 1893, Mr. Lay- 
ton providing a special train to convey the party 
from Chicago and return. 

From October 22 to 25, 1895, Chicago, under the 
presidency of Henry W. King, visited St. Louis 
with the Boston and Cincinnati clubs, and received 
every attention that kind and considerate hosts 
could show. 

In 1897, while Mr. Glessner was its president, 
the Chicago club, together with the Boston and St. 
Louis clubs, spent Thursday and Friday, May 26 



53 



and 27, in Cincinnati, as guests of the Commercial 
Club of that city, and were entertained by drives 
about the city and its beautiful environs, by a sail 
on the Ohio river, luncheons at private houses, and 
a Kentucky burgoo on the race-track grounds of the 
Latonia jockey club, the burgoo being a typical and 
very toothsome Kentucky dish, cooked in plain 
sight in an iron pot swinging over a rustic fire, by a 
negro cook, and eaten boiling hot from new tin 
cups with pewter spoons, as the fashion is with the 
genuine burgoo. The visit was completed by the 
grand reception and banquet of the club at Dalvay, 
the home of Mr. Alexander McDonald at Clifton. 
It is rare indeed that any private residence can be 
found with rooms commodious enough to entertain 
so large a company and in such faultless style, and 
this was a unique and most delightful experience. 
It was on this occasion, during the sail on the river, 
that the Cincinnati club presented to the Chicago 
club the beautiful Fellowship Cup now deposited in 
the Art Institute, and other cups, each entirely dif- 
ferent, to the Boston and St. Louis clubs. These 
cups are about fourteen inches high, and bear the in- 
scription, "In commemoration of the visit of the 
Commercial Clubs of Boston, Chicago and St. 
Louis to the Commercial Club of Cincinnati, May 

27, 1897." 

In June, 1900, the Chicago, St. Louis and Cin- 
cinnati clubs visited Boston, on the invitation of the 
Boston club, and were treated in the most hospi- 
table manner, unusual in that there was no hint of 
commerce permitted in the entertainment. Excur- 



54 



sions by coaches to Concord and Lexington and his- 
toric spots, luncheons and receptions at the homes 
of Boston members, a sail down the bay to Glouces- 
ter and return by train, with luncheon at Essex 
Club, and finally the two days of most charming 
spring weather closed with the dinner of grand 
cheer and warm friendship at Algonquin Club. 
This did not end until the wee sma' hours, and a 
delegation of the Boston Club said goodby as their 
Chicago visitors took their special train at 2 a. m. 
for a journey to the White Hills of New Hamp- 
shire and a day's visit with one of their members at 
his country home. The party left the train at North 
Woodstock and sent it back via Plymouth to Little- 
ton, ninety miles, while they drove twenty miles by 
coach up the Pemigewasset valley to Profile House, 
and through Franconia village to Mr. Glessner's 
farm. President Chalmers and Secretary Janes 
and Treasurer Macfarland had made perfect ar- 
rangements for transportation and attendance and 
every comfort on this trip. 

The ever-to-be-remembered trip to the Pacific 
coast took the place of the March meeting in 1901. 
Its history was written immediately afterwards. 
There is no possibility of doing justice to it in the 
space at command here. It was a continual suc- 
cession of delights, day by day and hour by hour, 
for three weeks. The club was the guest of two 
of its members, Mr. Ripley of the Santa Fe and 
Mr. Hughitt of the Northwestern railroads, and 
the presidents of connecting roads, in a trip in 
special train of new cars across the continent and 



55 



up and down the Pacific coast, with entertain- 
ments at prominent and beautiful places, a de- 
lightful luncheon from Otho Sprague at Pasa- 
dena, banquets at Los Angeles and San Fran- 
cisco and Portland and Seattle and Salt Lake and 
Denver, the reception and tea at the Bartlett 
home in Phoenix, and the cowboy exhibition for 
its edification while there, the visit to the wonderful 
works of Mr. William T. Baker at Snoqualmie 
Falls, and to the Grand Canyon, and every atten- 
tion and comfort that the heart of man could wish 
or his digestive economy assimilate — the sleeping 
coaches, the dining car, the buffet, the stenograph- 
er and the barber and the attendants, the arrange- 
ments for telegraph and mail communication, the 
attentions of the railroad superintendents, who 
joined the train, each with his own car, to pilot it 
over his division, the side trips and stops to view 
the Mission ruins or anything that any man de- 
sired — not one single thing was left undone or un- 
provided. There never was such a trip before and 
never can be again. And having in all this the 
company of friends representing the Boston, Cin- 
cinnati and St. Louis organizations and another 
genial companion in the person of Dr. E. C. Dud- 
ley, the surgeon, made the enjoyment more and 
more. Mr. William A. Fuller was president, and 
twenty-eight members, with two delegates each 
from Boston, Cincinnati and St. Louis made up 
the party. 

In 1903 the club again enjoyed the hospitality 
of the St. Louis club, forty-two members partici- 



56 



pating, and joined in hearty praise of the splendid 
preparations for the Louisiana Purchase Exposi- 
tion. On nearly all of these trips the clubs have 
traveled by special train for each club, or possibly 
one train for two clubs, and it has been customary 
at joint meetings for each member to wear in the 
lapel of his coat a small gold button with the 
monogram "C. C." enameled in colors — for Bos- 
ton blue, Cincinnati yellow, St. Louis white and 
Chicago red. 

Another memorable trip was in January and 
February of 1904, when the club spent several 
weeks in traveling over Cuba, having as guests 
delegates from Boston, Cincinnati and St. Louis, 
when the resources of the Island, its people and in- 
stitutions and products and weather were open for 
its inspection with the greatest comfort to all. 

May 25th and 26th, 1905, the Cincinnati club 
was host of the other three at the celebration in its 
home city of the twenty-fifth anniversary of its 
foundation. 

The latest of these excursions was the joint ven- 
ture of the four kindred clubs — Cincinnati, St. 
Louis, Boston and Chicago — in the journey to 
Panama, from February 18th to March 14th, 
1907, in which eighty-seven members and some 
others participated, and where the stupendous 
work of the Panama Canal Commission was the 
main objective. The perfect arrangement of 
steamer and trains and hotels, all of which has 
been told before, made delightful what otherwise 
might have been found laborious and trying. 



57 



The purpose, and what has proved the result of 
this trip, was well stated in the special message of 
President Roosevelt to Congress, December 17th, 
1906: 

"I am informed that representatives of the Com- 
mercial Clubs of four cities — Boston, Chicago, 
Cincinnati and St. Louis — the membership in 
which includes many of the leading business men 
of those cities, expect to visit the Isthmus for the 
purpose of examining the work of construction of 
the canal. I am glad to hear it, and I shall direct 
that every facility be given them to see all that is 
to be seen in the work which the government is 
doing. Such interest as a visit like this would in- 
dicate will have a good effect upon the men who are 
doing the work on the one hand, while on the other 
hand it will offer as witnesses of the exact condi- 
tions men whose experience as business men and 
whose impartiality will make the result of their 
observations of value to the country as a whole." 

The last meeting of this history was the closed 
meeting of Saturday evening, April 10, 1909, at 
1800 Prairie Avenue, the residence of Mr. John J. 
Glessner, attended by sixty-three club members. 



58 



Reference should be made to the deceased mem- 
bers. The Chicago Commercial Club was made 
up of young men. The average age of its members 
in the first fifteen or twenty years was probably 
much less than that of the Boston club. After Bos- 
ton's list of its dead had become longer than its liv- 
ing roll, the Chicago list still was relatively short. 
But this is all too long now, and one scans with 
sorrow and deep regret the names of those who 
have finished their work and can meet here no more. 

The first member of the club to pass away was 
Solomon A. Smith, who died in November, 1879; 
then followed Edward S. Stickney, in March, 
1880; James M. Walker and R. C. Meldrum and 
George Armour in 1881, John C. Coonley in 1882, 
and the final farewells have been said to some mem- 
ber in almost every year since then. Appropriate 
records have been made in all cases, but only those 
concerning Secretaries Clarke and Janes are re- 
produced here. 

At the special meeting at the Grand Pacific 
hotel, April 7, 1887, the following resolutions were 
presented : 

"A telegraphic message from Thomasville, Ga., 
brings to us the sad news of the death of George 
C. Clarke, and the air is full of farewells to the dy- 
ing and of mournings for the dead. Each and 
everv member of the Commercial Club has lost a 
valued friend, and, assembled as we are here today, 
inspired by personal sorrow to offer a tribute of 
respect, we not only do honor to his memory, but, 
in doing so, honor ourselves. 

"George C. Clarke was more than an average 
man, and today, at the end of a busy life, he can be 

59 



remembered as honest, truthful and upright, and 
he goes forth to his burial honored, loved and prais- 
ed by all. 

"As a member of this club, his record is en- 
graven upon each of our hearts. Always loyal and 
true, he worked wisely and successfully to advance 
its prosperity, from the day of its organization to 
the end of his life. 

"As a business man he was unselfish and gener- 
ous, his word always stood everywhere for truth 
itself, and his associates in business bear willing and 
ready testimony to his wise and successful adminis- 
tration of the affairs that were gladly intrusted to 
his care. 

"As a citizen he had clean hands and a clear con- 
science, and in all the many and varied duties that 
he was called upon to perform, his aims were al- 
ways high and intended to advance the prosperity 
and welfare, not only of the institutions with which 
he was connected, but also of the city of his adop- 
tion. As a husband and father he was devotion it- 
self, and the altar of his home sanctuary was never 
without burning coals. 

"George C. Clarke had a profound regard for 
the religion he professed, and walking with his feet 
toward Calvary, and his eyes resting lovingly on 
the face of the Master, he impressed all as a worthy 
representative of the christian gentleman. 

"He has left us all the record of a life well spent, 
full of 'that best portion of a good man's life, his 
little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and 
of love,' a name honored for integrity and personal 
worth. He carried himself cheerfully and buoy- 
antly, and even when all of us looked with sorrow 
on 'the shadow of those features fair and thin,' he 
cheered the heart of every one by his manly courage 
in his struggle for life. 'Lie lightly on his ashes, 
gentle earth, for on his grave rains many a tear.' 

60 



Boston, April 20th, 1887. 
Mr. John J. Janes, 
Sec'y Commercial Club, 
Chicago, 111. 

Dear Sir: — 

Your letter addressed to me, announcing the 
death of your honored member, Mr. George C. 
Clarke, was read before the Commercial Club of 
Boston at its last meeting, on Saturday the 16th 
inst., and it occasioned profound regret. 

We feel, in the death of Mr. Clarke, the loss of a 
true friend. We well remember his thoughtful at- 
tention to each of our members when the club vis- 
ited Chicago, and how much he contributed to our 
pleasure on that occasion. The depth of our esteem 
and friendship for him was the natural response to 
his nobility of character. We realize how much he 
contributed to the success of your club, both by 
his practical work, his wise counsel, and by the 
type of his manhood illustrated in his daily life. 
Our clubs were honored by his life and character, 
and may well treasure as priceless the example of 
his well spent life. We tender our sympathy with 
you in your loss, share with you the sorrow his death 
occasions, and unite in paying our tribute of respect 
to his memory. 

Yours sincerely, 

GEORGE O. CARPENTER, 

Sec'y Commercial Club. 



61 



A special meeting of the Commercial Club was 
held in the library room of the Chicago Club, Fri- 
day, August 23, 1901, to take appropriate action 
on the death of its secretary, Mr. John James 
Janes, when the following resolutions were present- 
ed and unanimously adopted : 

"Again has the Commercial Club assembled to 
record its tribute to the memory of a departed mem- 
ber, this time John James Janes, its secretary. And 
again we are made to realize the inadequacy of hu- 
man speech when used to express the sentiments of 
the heart. 

"Mr. Janes was born in Lansingburgh, New 
York, January 10, 1833. He died at the Calumet 
Club in Chicago, August 19, 1901. He came to 
Chicago in 1853, a youth of twenty years, since 
which time he was always a prominent and active 
factor in the social and business life of the city. 
After his arrival in Chicago, he was first a book- 
keeper for one of the then prominent mercantile 
houses of the city, but soon after engaged in the in- 
surance business in which he continued to the time 
of his death, for most of the time as a member of 
the firm of Moore & Janes. To this chosen vocation 
he devoted himself with great fidelity and success, 
was mainly instrumental in the organization of the 
Insurance Patrol and in effecting many improve- 
ments and reforms valuable to the interests he spe- 
cially represented and to the property interests of 
the city. No one ever possessed more fully than he 
the confidence of officers and managers whose in- 
terests he represented. He was one of the organi- 
zers, and for many years the secretary of the Chi- 
cago Club. He was also active in the organization 
of our Commercial Club, was a member from its be- 
ginning, and for the last fifteen years, and at the 



62 



time of his death, its secretary. How efficient he 
was in that position all members can testify, and es- 
pecially those who have been officers of the Club, 
and whose duties were made light and pleasant by 
his unwearying and painstaking efforts. 

"Having for the past several years no immediate 
family of his own, he seemed to regard the Com- 
mercial Club as his family and its members as not 
merely his friends whom he esteemed, but as his 
brothers whom he loved. He was also a member of 
the Calumet Club, at whose house he died, was an 
active and consistent member of Grace Episcopal 
Church of Chicago, and took an active interest and 
bore a willing part in all matters of public concern. 

"He was a true man in every relation of life ; his 
integrity was never doubted, his sincerity never 
questioned. He never harbored an unworthy mo- 
tive and everything mean shrank from his presence. 
Honest, sincere, patient, forbearing, considerate 
and kind, he enjoyed, as few do, the affectionate re- 
gard of his fellows. His personality was a load- 
stone which drew to him the love and confidence of 
all who came into his presence. The charm was 
the man, undefinable, but felt. Shut out largely 
by an infirmity of hearing from conversation with 
his friends, this infirmity seemed to exclude only 
the harsher sounds of the world, and every gentle 
sentiment found a way to his heart. He was never 
deaf to the cry of the unfortunate, and to such his 
generous nature always gave response. Unselfish- 
ness seemed his chief characteristic, and solicitude 
for others found expression even in the delirium of 
his dying hours. 

"His body is now at rest in Woodlawn cemetery, 
New York, by the side of the beloved wife who pre- 
ceded him there a few years. But the influence of 
a good man's life never dies, and that of John James 



63 



Janes will always abide with us as a potent and up- 
lifting inspiration. 

"A christian gentleman, a true friend, a genial 
comrade, the Commercial Club hereby makes per- 
manent record of its appreciation of his worth and 
of its sorrow for his death. 

"Eugene Cary, 
"Marvin Hughitt, 
"Henry Macfarland, 
Committee." 

General Sheridan had the warm friendship of 
every member of the Commercial Club and his pres- 
ence at the meetings always was welcome. In his 
death each member felt a personal loss. 

At the regular meeting at Kinsley's, October 27, 
1888, action was taken in the following resolutions, 
adopted unanimously by a rising vote : 

"Whereas, the death of General Phillip H. 
Sheridan has filled the heart of every member of 
this club with a feeling of profound sorrow, and, 

"Whereas, while fully sharing the grief experi- 
enced by the American people at the loss of this 
illustrious patriot and commander, we also are en- 
during a keen sense of personal bereavement in the 
loss of one whom we held in grateful friendship, 
and who, in his life time, we so delighted to honor ; 
therefore, 

"Resolved, that the Commercial Club will ever 
revere the memory of General Sheridan, and not 
alone for his noble qualities as a man and a friend, 
and his undying record as a soldier, great in the de- 
sign and irresistible in the execution of all the arts 
of war, but equally and with peculiar emotion, for 
his services to the people of our own city in its mem- 



64 



orable hour of need and peril; and that we desire to 
reinscribe upon the record of this club, that when 
a calamity overtook Chicago which for a time ab- 
sorbed the interest of nations ; when the city was in 
flames; when common judgment was at fault, and 
in our awe and desolation we sought a leader, then 
the loyal and heroic qualities of General Sheridan 
came into renewed prominence, for our salvation. 
He placed himself at our head with a presence that 
signified order, law, safety, and mutual devotion. 
His cool brain, undaunted courage and electric ac- 
tion not only aided in staying the progress of the 
fire, but palliated the suffering which it caused, and, 
without doubt, averted the calamities of lawlessness 
and crime which are wont to follow upon civic dis- 
aster. Nor can Chicago forget that twice again, in 
1874 and 1877, this beloved chieftain appeared as 
the protector of her life and treasure. Thrice he 
deserved well of the city; and so, with pride and 
sorrow, and increasing veneration, we perpetuate 
our tribute to his name and fame. Others will do, 
some have already done, scanty justice to Sheri- 
dan's memory — ours the simple duty to place upon 
our record book this offering of affection and loving 
remembrance of a brave soldier and a gentle heart. 

"John W. Doane, 
"Marshall Field,, 
"William E. Strong, 
Committee/' 



65 



It is proper to record here that this club ex- 
pressed officially its sympathy when Hon. Mahlon 
D. Spaulding, charter member of the Boston Com- 
mercial Club, died at his home, November 3, 1888. 
He was among the first to respond after Chicago's 
fire, and to extend help and credit and words of 
cheer to stricken friends and merchants in Chicago, 
and he always maintained his interest and warm 
friendship for the people of this city and for the 
Chicago Commercial Club. He was one of the Bos- 
ton merchants whose visit to this city in 1877 was 
the inspiration for the birth of the Chicago Com- 
mercial Club. 

The property of the club consists chiefly of mem- 
ories and aspirations — not taxable, but of great 
value — memories of accomplishments, memories of 
things nobly striven for if not entirely accom- 
plished, memories of hospitalities and friendships 
— and aspirations after good works still to be ac- 
complished. The things the club has bought have 
been given away freely and joyously for the good 
they might do, but there are two bits of property 
that are cherished for themselves and their givers 
and the sentiments they conveyed — the original 
manuscript poem of Dr. Holmes, given to Presi- 
dent Doane for this club by the poet himself on 
behalf of the Boston club, on the occasion of the first 
visit of the Chicago organization, and which was 
framed in pieces of the historic elm that was blown 
down in Boston Common shortly before this visit, 
and the beautiful Fellowship Cup of Rookwood 
pottery given by the Cincinnati club as an incident 



66 



of their royal hospitality in May, 1897. The club 
being homeless, these cherished treasures are de- 
posited with the Art Institute for safekeeping.* 



New York, January 10, 1898. 
J. J. Glessner, Esq., 

President, Commercial Club, Chicago, 111. 
My dear Mr. Glessner: — 

I am in receipt of your letter of January 7th. 
I am glad to know that the Commercial Club is go- 
ing to prepare a proper place for the poem of Oliver 
Wendell Holmes, the manuscript of which was 
delivered to me by his own hands. The Executive 
Committee of the Boston Club had it framed with 
a piece of the old elm tree which stood in Boston 
so many years and the genuineness of which was 
certified to by Mayor Cobb. This I have regarded 
as the only tangible asset the Commercial Club ever 
had since its origin, and an offer of $2,500 was made 
for it while Mr. Holmes was living. If it were for 
sale now it ought to bring much more. 

It is hanging in my office for want of a better 
place at present, and is subject to the order of the 
Executive Committee of the Commercial Club at 
any moment. 

I have been unavoidably detained in New York 
for a long time but now expect to return by the 20th 
inst. If you will wait until then I will hand it to 
you, or, if you will present this letter at my office 
you can get it before that time. 

Trusting to be able to attend the next meeting of 
the club, I beg to remain, 

Yours very sincerely, 

J. W. DOANE. 



*Note: These articles are to be transferred to the care of the 
Chicago Historical Society. 



67 



Chicago, January 29, 1898. 
To the President and Board of Trustees of the 

Art Institute of Chicago. 

Gentlemen: — On behalf of the Commercial Club 
of Chicago, I tender to you the loan of the unique 
and beautiful Fellowship Cup, the production of 
the Rookwood Pottery, presented to this Club by 
the Commercial Club of Cincinnati as a memento 
of our visit to them in May, 1897; also the original 
manuscript poem of Oliver Wendell Holmes, read 
by the author at the joint meeting of the clubs, and 
presented to us by the Boston Commercial Club on 
the occasion of our visit to them in June, 1879, 
which manuscript is now framed in a piece of the 
historic elm tree that stood for so many years on 
Boston Common, and which was blown down in 
1876. 

These articles have very tender associations for 
the members of the Commercial Club, and the Club 
therefore desires to retain its title to them, but 
tenders them to you as a loan, confident that they 
will be properly cared for and preserved in your 
hands, and at the same time be placed where they 
may give pleasure to more people than if retained 
by this Club. I have the honor to be, gentlemen 
Very respectfully yours, 

J. J. Glessner, 
President Commercial Club of Chicago. 



Chicago, January 31, 1898. 
John J. Glessner, Esq., 

President, Commercial Club, Chicago. 
Dear Sir: — 

We have received with much pleasure your let- 
ter of January 29, with the accompanying loan of 
the unique and beautiful Fellowship Cup, the pro- 



68 



duction of the Rookwood Pottery, which was pre- 
sented to the Commercial Club of Chicago by the 
Commercial Club of Cincinnati as a memento of 
their visit to Cincinnati in May, 1897; also the 
original manuscript poem of Oliver Wendell 
Holmes, framed in a piece of the historic elm tree 
that stood for so many years on Boston Common. 
The Art Institute is deeply indebted to the Com- 
mercial Club for these valuable loans which have 
already been installed in our collection, and occupy 
a good position in our galleries. 

A more formal acknowledgment will be made 
after the next meeting of our Board of Trustees. 
We have the honor to be 

Very respectfully yours, 

The Art Institute of Chicago, 
By N. H. Carpenter, 

Secretary. 



The Art Institute of Chicago. 

July 14, 1904. 
Mr. Rollin A, Keyes, 

Secretary, Commercial Club. 
Dear Sir: — 

There are two objects belonging to the Com- 
mercial Club in the possession of the Art Institute : 
One a framed manuscript of a poem by Oliver 
Wendell Holmes, the other a fellowship cup of 
Rookwood pottery. The poem is upon the wall 
of an exhibition room, and the cup in the store- 
room. They were delivered to us by Mr. Glessner 
in 1898. We are quite willing to continue to care 
for them, but it is proper you should know where 
they are. Yours very truly, 

The Art Institute, 
W. M. R. French, 

Director. 

69 



It has been customary at the beginning of the 
year — not every year, but frequently — to hold a 
closed meeting, without any guests, to take a look 
backward at what has been done and forward at 
what should be done; to take account of stock, as 
it were, of the club, and its activities, and what it 
stands for. 

At the meeting of December 30, 1899, the ques- 
tion as it appeared to Mr. Elbridge G. Keith 
was: "How does the world regard us? Speakers 
come before us and eulogize us as members and as 
a club. They tell us that around this board sit men 
who have made Chicago, and we go away feeling 
better than words can express. It is true that we 
have influence, ability, money, and energy; but, 
having these, also much is required of us. We 
must not forget that we owe to Chicago all that we 
are; therefore to Chicago we should turn our ef- 
forts in the line of helping to make it a better, a 
cleaner, a more honest and well governed city." 

In the following June, at the joint meeting of 
the four kindred clubs in Boston, Mr. Lucius Tut- 
tle used these forceful words: "No community, 
no club, and no enterprise can live upon a glorious 
record." 

If this club is to retain its commanding position 
in the city, if it is to continue to wield the same 
powerful influence as in the past, it must keep 
active and strong. It must keep up its energy and 
enterprise, it must speak out boldly against the 

70 



wrong and strive manfully for the right. Will it? 
Has the game been worth the candle? Will the 
next thirty-two years of its work be as potent for 
good as the thirty-two that have passed? If there 
were doubts at first, time has proceeded to full 
justification of the founders, and should the ques- 
tion be put now, there is no present member of the 
Commercial Club but will be quick with his answer. 




>flff 



71 



<mt£Mi 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 





LEVI Z. LEITER 

1878 



JOHN W. DOANE 
1879-80 





ORRIN W. POTTER 
1881 



ALBERT A. SPRAGUE 
1882 



73 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 





AUGUSTUS A. CARPENTER 
1883 



JOHN M. CLARK 
1884 





FRANKLIN MacVEAGH 
1885 



LYMAN J. GAGE 

1886 



75 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 





ADOLPHUS C. BARTLETT 
1887 



ELIPHALET W. BLATCHFORD 
1888 





CHARLES L. HUTCHINSON 
1889 



ELBRIDGE G. KEITH 
1890 



77 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 





MARVIN HUGHITT 
1891 



TURLINGTON W. HARVEY 
1892 





ALEXANDER C. McCLURG 
1893 



WILLIAM T. BAKER 

1894 



79 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 





HENRY W. KING 
1895 



FRANCIS B. PEABODY 
1896 





JOHN J. GLESSNER 
1897 



EUGENE CARY 
1898 



81 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 





CYRUS H. McCORMICK 
1899 



WILLIAM J. CHALMERS 
1900 





WILLIAM A. FULLER 
1901 



MARTIN A. RYERSON 

1903 



83 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 





J. HARLEY BRADLEY 
1904 



EDWARD B. BUTLER 
1905 



- : *2*f% 


■ 


T. Bg 


JL i " : " ; jj >i 



GEORGE E. ADAMS 
1906 



85 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE MERCHANTS CLUB 





HARRY G. SELFRIDGE 
1898 



EDGAR A. BANCROFT 

1899 





HERMON B. BUTLER 

1900 



RICHARD M. BIS5ELL 
1901 



87 



FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE MERCHANTS CLUB 





ALEXANDER A. McCORMICK 
1902 



WALTER H. WILSON 
1903 





ALFRED L. BAKER 
1904 



CHARLES H. WACKER 

1905 



89 



FORMER PRESIDENTS 





CHARLES DYER NORTON 
Merchants Club, 1906 



JOHN V. FARWELL 
Merchants Club, 1897 
Commercial Club, 1907 





ROLLIN A. KEYES 
Commercial Club, 1908 



THEODORE W. ROBINSON 
Commercial Club, 1909 



91 



ORGANIZATION 



OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES of THE 
COMMERCIAL CLUB OF CHICAGO. 



1909-1910. 

President Theodore W. Robinson 

Vice-President Bernard E. Sunny 

Secretary Homer A. Stillwell 

Treasurer Charles G. Dawes 

Executive Committee. 

Theodore W. Robinson, Homer A. Stillwell, 
Bernard E. Sunny, Charles G. Dawes, 

Rollin A. Keyes, John J. Glessner, 

Charles L. Strobel, # Frederick Greeley, 

James B. Forgan, f Cyrus H. McCormick, 

William J. Chalmers. 

Reception Committee. 

Charles L. Strobel, Chairman. 
William L. Brown, Chauncey Keep, 

Alfred Cowles, A. A. Sprague II. 

Committee on Publication. 

John W. Scott, Chairman. 
Nelson P. Bigelow, Herman H. Kohlsaat. 

Educational Committee. 

Clayton Mark, Chairman. 
Frank H. Armstrong, David R. Forgan, 

Alfred L. Baker, John R. Morron, 

Edward F. Carry, Frederic W. Upham. 

* Resigned. 

tTo fill unexpired term. 

95 



Committee on Public Health. 

Frank B. Noyes, Chairman. 
J. Ogden Armour, Ernest A. Hamill, 

Granger Farwell, Arthur Meeker. 

Committee on Lake Bluff Naval Training Station. 

Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Alfred L. Baker, John R. Morron, 

Harold F. McCormick, Frederic W. Upham. 

Committee on Small Parks and Playgrounds. 

Clarence Buckingham, Chairman. 
Allen B. Pond. 

Committee on Glenwood School. 
Edward B. Butler, Chairman. 

Committee on St. Charles School. 

Stanley Field, Chairman. 
Benjamin Carpenter. 

- Committee on Plan of Chicago. 
Edward B. Butler, Chairman. 
John W. Scott, Vice- Chairman. 
Charles G. Dawes, Harold F. McCormick, 

Charles H. Hulburd, Charles L. Strobel, 
Emerson B. Tuttle. 

1908-1909 

President Rollin A. Keyes 

Vice-President Albert J. Earling 

Secretary John W. Scott 

Treasurer Edwin G. Foreman 



96 



Executive Committee. 

Rollin A. Keyes, Albert J. Earling, 

John W. Scott, Edwin G. Foreman, 

John V. Farwell, Jr. , John G. Shedd, 

Frank EL Jones, Theodore W. Robinson, 

John J. Glessner, Frederick Greeley. 

Reception Committee. 

Frank H. Jones, Chairman. 
Adolphus C. Bartlett, Stanley Field, 
John W. G. Cofran, Emerson B. Tuttle. 

Educational Committee. 

Theodore W. Robinson, Chairman. 
Edward B. Butler, Bernard E. Sunny, 

Edward F. Carry, Frederic W. Upham, 

Clayton Mark, Charles H. Wacker. 

Committee on Public Health. 

Frank B. Noyes, Chairman. 
J. Ogden Armour, John J. Glessner, 

John V. Farwell, Jr., Harold F. McCormick, 
Alexander H. Revell. 

Committee on Small Parks and Playgrounds. 

Frederick Greeley, Chairman. 
Clarence Buckingham, Allen B. Pond. 

Committee on Lake Bluff Naval Training Station. 

Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Alfred L. Baker, John R. Morron, 

Harold F. McCormick, Frederic W. Upham. 



97 



Committee on Glenwood School. 
Edward B. Butler, Chairman. 

Committee on St. Charles School. 

Stanley Field, Chairman. 
Benjamin Carpenter. 

Committee on State Pawners' Society. 
John V. Farwell, Jr., Chairman. 

Committee on Plan of Chicago. 
General Committee. 

Chairman Charles D. Norton 

Vice- Chairman Charles H. Wacker 

Secretary Frederic A. Delano 

Treasurer Walter H. Wilson 

Adolphus C. Bartlett, Edward B. Butler, 
Clyde M. Carr, Charles L. Hutchinson, 

John V. Farwell, Jr. , Rollin A. Keyes, 
Joy Morton, Charles H. Thorne. 

Committee on Lake Parks. 

Edward B. Butler, Chairman. 
Edgar A. Bancroft, John V. Farwell, Jr., 

William L. Brown, Harold F. McCormick, 

Charles G. Dawes, John J. Mitchell. 

Committee on Railway Terminals. 

Joy Morton, Chairman. 
Adolphus C. Bartlett, Martin A. Ryerson, 
Franklin MacVeagh, John G. Shedd, 
Cyrus H. McCormick, Albert A. Sprague. 



98 



Committee on Streets and Boulevards. 

Clyde M. Carr, Chairman. 
Charles H. Conover, Albert A. Sprague II, 
Thomas E. Donnelley, Frederic W. Upham, 
James L. Houghteling, Charles H. Wacker, 

Committee on Interurban Roadways. 

Charles H. Thorne, Chairman. 
Benjamin Carpenter, Homer A. Still well, 
Edward F. Carry, Charles L. Strobel. 

Committee on Finance. 
Adolphus C. Bartlett, Chairman. 
Charles G. Dawes, Albert A. Sprague, 

Charles L. Hutchinson, Walter H. Wilson. 

1907-1908 

President John V. Farwell, Jr. 

Vice-President John R. Morron 

Secretary John W. Scott 

Treasurer David It. Forgan 

Executive Committee. 

John V. Farwell, Jr., George E. Adams, 

John R. Morron, Clyde M. Carr, 

John W. Scott, Charles H. Wacker, 

David It. Forgan, Louis F. Swift, 

John G. Shedd, Theodore W. Robinson. 

Reception Committee. 

Charles H. Wacker, Chairman. 
Benjamin Carpenter, Frank H. Jones, 
Leslie Carter, Charles L. Strobel. 

99 



Educational Committee. 

Theodore W. Robinson, Chairman. 
Thomas E. Donnelley, Clayton Mark, 
Granger Farwell, Bernard E. Sunny. 

Committee on Lake Bluff Naval Training Station. 

Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Alfred L. Baker, John B,. Morron, 

Harold F. McCormick, Frederic W. Upham. 

Committee on Public Health. 

Frank B. Noyes, Chairman. 
J. Ogden Armour, Harold F. McCormick, 

John J. Glessner, Alexander H. Revell. 

Committee on Small Parks and Playgrounds. 
Frederick Greeley, Chairman. 
Clarence Buckingham, Allen B. Pond. 

Committee on Building' of Comfort Stations. 

Edwin G. Foreman, Chairman. 

Charles D. Norton. 

Committee on Plan of Chicago. 
General Committee. 

Chairman Charles D. Norton 

Vice- Chairman Charles H. Wacker 

Secretary Frederic A. Delano 

Treasurer Walter H. Wilson 

Adolphus C. Bartlett. 
Edward B. Butler, John V. Farwell, Jr. , 

Clyde M. Carr, Joy Morton, 

Charles H. Thorne. 



100 



Committee on Lake Front. 

Edward B. Butler, Chairman. 
Leslie Carter, John V. Farwell, Jr. , 

Charles G. Dawes, Victor F. Lawson, 

Harold F. McCormick. 

Committee on Railway Terminals. 

Joy Morton, Chairman. 
Adolphus C. Bartlett, Franklin MacVeagh, 
William J. Chalmers, Cyrus H. McCormick, 
Charles H. Hulburd, Martin A. Ryerson, 
Chauncey Keep, John G. Shedd, 

Albert A. Sprague. 

Committee on Boulevard to Connect 
North and South Sides. 

Clyde M. Carr, Chairman. 
Charles H. Conover, Charles H. Thorne, 
James L. Houghteling, Frederic W. Upham, 
A. A. Sprague II, Charles H. Wacker. 

Committee on Interurban Roadways. 

Charles H. Thorne, Chairman. 
Enos M. Barton, Frederick Greeley. 

Committee on Finance. 

Adolphus C. Bartlett, Chairman. 
Charles G. Dawes, Albert A. Sprague, 

Charles L. Hutchinson, Walter H. Wilson. 



101 



OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES OF 
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 

From the Year of Establishment 

1878. 

President Levi Z. Leiter 

Vice-President John W. Doane 

Treasurer Murry Nelson 

Secretary George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

Anson Stager, Edson Keith, 

William T. Baker. 

1879. 

President John W. Doane 

Vice-President Anson Stager 

Treasurer Murry Nelson 

Secretary George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

Edson Keith, Otho S. A. Sprague, 

James W. Oakley. 

1880. 

President John W. Doane 

Vice-President Nathaniel K. Fairbank 

Treasurer Murry Nelson 

Secretary George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

Henry J. Macfarland, Franklin MacVeagh, 

Augustus A. Carpenter. 

102 



1881. 

President Orrin W. Potter 

Vice-President Albert A. Sprague 

Treasurer Murry Nelson 

Secretary George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

Henry J. Macfarland, John M. Clark, 

James H. Walker. 



1882. 

President Albert A. Sprague 

Vice-President Murry Nelson 

Treasurer . William T. Baker 

Secretary . George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

George C. Walker, Elbridge G. Keith, 

William A. Fuller. 



1883. 

President Augustus A. Carpenter 

Vice-President Marvin Hughitt 

Treasurer Anthony F. Seeberger 

Secretary George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

John Crerar, Richard T. Crane, 

Erskine M. Phelps. 



103 



1884. 

President John M. Clark 

Vice-President George M. Pullman 

Treasurer Anthony F. Seeberger 

Secretary George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

Byron P. Moulton, Adolphus C. Bartlett, 
John J. Janes. 



1885. 

President Franklin MacVeagh 

Vice-President George M. Pullman 

Treasurer John B. Drake 

Secretary George C. Clarke 

Executive Committee. 

John DeKoven, Lyman J. Gage, 

Thomas Murdoch. 



1886. 

President Lyman J. Gage 

Vice-President Adolphus C. Bartlett 

Treasurer Louis Wampold 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Alexander C. McClurg, Charles Fargo, 

Cyrus H. McCormick. 



104 



1887. 

President Adolphus C. Bartlett 

Vice-President .... Eliphalet W. Blatchford 

Treasurer Charles L. Hutchinson 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee, 

Marshall Field, Otho S. A. Sprague, 

J. Harley Bradley. 



1888. 

President Eliphalet W. Blatchford 

Vice-President Charles L. Hutchinson 

Treasurer William Munro 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Charles B. Holmes, James L. Houghteling, 
William E. Strong. 



1889. 

President Charles L. Hutchinson 

Vice-President Elbridge G. Keith 

Treasurer William Munro 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Henry H. Porter, William G. Hibbard, 

William E. Strong. 



105 



1890. 

President Elbridge G. Keith 

Vice-President Marvin Hughitt 

Treasurer William Munro 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Philip D. Armour, Turlington W. Harvey, 
John J. Glessner. 



1891. 

President Marvin Hughitt 

Vice-President Turlington W. Harvey 

Treasurer Harlow N. Higinbotham 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Edward E. Ayer, Eugene Cary, 

Martin A. Ryerson. 



1892. 

President Turlington W. Harvey 

Vice-President . . . . . . Alexander C. McClurg 

Treasurer Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Henry W. King, Norman B. Ream, 

William H. Rand. 



106 



1893. 

President Alexander C. McClurg 

Vice-President William T. Baker 

Treasurer Henrv J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Franklin H. Head, Christoph Hotz, 

Francis B. Peabodv. 



1894. 

President William T. Baker 

Vice-President John B. Drake 

Treasurer Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Francis B. Peabody, Otho S. A. Sprague, 
Henry B. Stone. 



1895. 

President Henry W. King 

Vice-President ....... George C. Walker 

Treasurer . Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Erskine M. Phelps, Louis Wampold, 

Robert A. Waller. 



107 



1896. 

President Francis B. Peabody 

Vice-President Henry B. Stone 

Treasurer Henrv J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee, 

Charles B. Farwell, Melville E. Stone, 

William J. Chalmers. 



1897. 

President John J. Glessner 

Vice-President Eugene Gary 

Treasurer Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

William A. Fuller, Cyrus H. McCormick, 
J. Harley Bradley. 



1898. 

President Eugene Cary 

Vice-President Cyrus H. McCormick 

Treasurer Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary . John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

William A. Fuller, John M. Clark, 

Robert C. Clowry. 



108 



1899. 

President Cyrus H. McCormick 

Vice-President H. N. Higinbotham 

Treasurer Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary . John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Elbridge G. Keith, Albert A. Sprague, 

H. H. Kohlsaat. 



1900. 

President William J. Chalmers 

Vice-President Martin A. Ryerson 

Treasurer Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

Marshall Field, Edward B. Butler, 

David B. Jones. 



1901. 

President William A. Fuller 

Vice-President David B. Jones 

Treasurer . Henry J. Macfarland 

Secretary John J. Janes 

Executive Committee. 

James L. Houghteling, Edward P. Ripley, 
Rollin A. Keyes. 



109 



1902. 

President David B. Jones 

Vice-President Edward E. Ayer 

Treasurer Charles F. Kimball 

Secretary Rollin A. Keyes 

Executive Committee. 

Adolphus C. Bartlett, John A. Spoor, 

John V. Farwell, Jr. 



1903. 

President Martin A. Ryerson 

Vice-President J. Harley Bradley 

Treasurer Charles F. Kimball 

Secretary Rollin A. Keyes 

Executive Committee. 

Thies J. Lef ens, Albert J. Earling, 

James H. Eckels. 



1904. 

President J. Harley Bradley 

Vice-President Edward B. Butler 

Treasurer Charles F. Kimball 

Secretary -, . Rollin A. Keyes 

Executive Committee. 

George E. Adams, Byron L. Smith, 

Charles H. Wacker. 



110 



1905. 

President Edward B. Butler 

Vice-President George E. Adams 

Treasurer Elbridge G. Keith 

Secretary Charles H. Hulburd 

Executive Committee. 

Enos M. Barton, John M. Clark, 

Victor F. Lawson. 



1906. 

President George E. Adams 

Vice-President John V. Farwell, Jr. 

Treasurer Ernest A. Hamill 

Secretary Benjamin Carpenter 

Executive Committee. 

Robert T. Lincoln, Chauncey Keep, 

Edward B. Butler. 



Ill 



OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES OF 
THE MERCHANTS CLUB 

From the Year of Establishment 



1897. 

President John V. Farwell, Jr. 

Vice-President Dunlap Smith 

Treasurer Charles R. Corwith 

Secretary Walter H. Wilson 

Executive Committee. 

Harry G. Selfridge, Clarence Buckingham, 
Arthur Meeker. 

Membership Committee. 

Henry A. Knott, 
John V. Farwell, Jr., Dunlap Smith. 

By-Laws Committee. 

Clarence Buckingham, 
Charles A. Coolidge, Harry G. Selfridge. 

Committee on Name of Organization. 

Hermon B. Butler, 
Frederick Greeley, Charles R. Corwith. 



112 



1897-98. 

President John V. Farwell, Jr. 

Vice-President Dunlap Smith 

Treasurer Charles R. Corwith 

Secretary Walter H. Wilson 

Executive Committee. 

Harry G. Selfridge, Arthur Meeker, 

Clarence Buckingham. 

Committee on Revenue Legislation. 

Henry A. Knott, 
Alexander H. Revell, John V. Farwell, Jr. 



1898-99. 

President Harry G. Selfridge 

Vice-President Leslie Carter 

Treasurer Nelson P. Bigelow 

Secretary Walter H. Wilson 

Executive Committee. 

John V. Farwell, Jr., Hermon B. Butler, 
Rollin A. Keyes. 



113 



1899-1900. 

President Edgar A. Bancroft 

Vice-President . Rollin A. Keyes 

Treasurer Nelson P. Bigelow 

Secretary Alexander A. McCormick 

Executive Committee, 

Hermon B. Butler, Leslie Carter, 

Richard M. Bissell. 

Reception Committee, 

William R. Harper, Chairman. 
C. Frederick Kimball, Edward B. Butler, 
Graeme Stewart, John G. Shedd. 

Committee to Provide By-Laws for State 
Pawners' Society. 

Richard M. Bissell, 
Clarence Buckingham, E. A. Bancroft. 

Committee to Revise By-Laws of 
Merchants Club. 

Hermon B. Butler, 
Dunlap Smith, Walter H. Wilson. 

Committee on City's Finances. 

Arthur T. Aldis, Chairman. 
Harold F. McCormick, Rensselaer W. Cox. 

Small Parks Committee. 
Frederick Greeley, Chairman. 
Edgar A. Bancroft, Alexander A. McCormick, 
Graeme Stewart, Frederic W. Upham. 



114 



1900-1. 

President Hermon B. Butler 

Vice-President Graeme Stewart 

Treasurer Edwin G. Foreman 

Secretary Hugh J. McBirney 

Executive Committee. 

Richard M. Bissell, Alex. A. McCormick, 

Edgar A. Bancroft, Rollin A. Keyes, 

A. J. Earling. 

Reception Committee. 

Rollin A. Keyes, Chairman. 
Charles L. Bartlett, Frederick Greeley, 

Benjamin Carpenter, Charles L. Strobel. 

Membership Committee. 

Edgar A. Bancroft, John V. Farwell, Jr., 

Richard M. Bissell, Nelson P. Bigelow. 

Committee on City's Finances. 

William Kent, Arthur T. Aldis, 

Rensselaer W. Cox. 

Committee on Prevalence of Crime. 
Rollin A. Keyes, Albert J. Earling. 



115 



1901-2. 

President Richard M. Bissell 

Vice-President Arthur Meeker 

Treasurer Alfred L. Baker 

Secretary Benjamin Carpenter 

Executive Committee. 

Albert J. Earling, Bernard E. Sunny, 

Edgar A. Bancroft, Arthur T. Aldis, 

Frederick Greeley. 

Reception Committee. 

Frederick Greeley, Chairman. 
John R. Morron, Hiram R. McCullough, 

Frederic W. Upham, Tracy C. Drake. 

Small Parks Committee. 

Graeme Stewart, 
Edgar A. Bancroft, Frederick Greeley, 

Alex. A. McCormick, Frederic W. Upham. 

Finance Committee. 

Arthur T. Aldis, Harold F. McCormick, 

Graeme Stewart, Frederic W. Upham, 

A. F. Gartz, Alex. A. McCormick. 



116 



1902-3. 

President Alexander A. McCormick 

Vice-President . Louis A. Seeberger 

Treasurer . Alfred L. Baker 

Secretary W. Vernon Booth 

Executive Committee. 

Arthur T. Aldis, Bernard E. Sunny, 

William Kent, Charles L. Bartlett, 

Benjamin Carpenter. 

Reception Committee. 

Benjamin Carpenter, Chairman. 
Rensselaer W. Cox, Granger Farwell, 

Alexander H. Revell, John F. Harris. 

Committee on Lake Front Park. 

Frederick Greeley, 
Alfred L. Baker, Arthur T. Aldis. 



Educational Committee. 



* 



John R. Morron, Chairman. 
Richard M. Bissell, James Gamble Rogers, 

Robert Mather, Charles D. Norton, 

William E. Clow, A. F. Gartz, 

Granger Farwell, Frank H. Armstrong, 

Harold F. McCormick, Joseph T. Bowen. 



117 



1903-4. 

President Walter H. Wilson 

Vice-President Alexander H. Revell 

Treasurer Harold F. McCormick 

Secretary Frank H. Armstrong 

Executive Committee. 

Charles L. Bartlett, Hiram R. McCullough, 

William Kent, Edward D. Kenna, 

Frederic W. Upham. 

Reception Committee. 

Frederic W. Upham, Chairman. 
Charles H. Wacker, John R. Morron, 
Louis A. Ferguson, David R. Forgan. 

New Charter Committee. 
Edward B. Butler, Alexander H. Revell. 

Educational Committee. 

Granger Farwell, Chairman! 

Joseph T. Bowen, Theodore W. Robinson, 

Harold F. McCormick, Alfred L. Cowles, 

John R. Morron, Charles H. Hodges, 

William E. Clow, Allen B. Pond, 

James Gamble Rogers, Charles L. Strobel, 

Charles D. Norton, Reuben H. Donnelley, 

Frank H. Armstrong, Francis C. Farwell. 



118 



1904-5. 

President Alfred L. Baker 

Vice-President Charles H. Wacker 

Treasurer Reuben H. Donnelley 

Secretary Charles D. Norton 

Executive Committee. 

Hiram R. McCullough, Edward D. Kenna, 
John R. Morron, Granger Farwell, 

Graeme Stewart, Walter H. Wilson. 

Reception Committee. 
Graeme Stewart, Chairman. 
William E. Clow, Charles G. Dawes, 

Theodore W. Robinson, Louis A. Ferguson. 

Educational Committee. 

Joseph T. Bowen, Chairman. 
W. E. Clow, Secretary and Treasurer. 
Arthur D. Wheeler, Joseph E. Otis, 
Frank H. Armstrong, Frederic A. Delano, 
Granger Farwell, Allen B. Pond, 

Harold F. McCormick, Albert J. Earling, 
James Gamble Rogers, Reuben H. Donnelley, 
Theodore W. Robinson, Francis C. Farwell, 
Charles D. Norton. 

Street Cleaning Committee. 

(To co-operate with Commercial Club Committee.) 

David R. Forgan, Harry G. Self ridge, 

Alexander H. Revell, John R. Morron, 
Frank H. Armstrong. 



119 



Committee on Regulation of "Loan Sharks/' 

Edgar A. Bancroft, Chairman. 
Frederic W. Upham, Edward A. Turner, 
Graeme Stewart, John V. Farwell, Jr. 

Lake Bluff Naval Training Station Committee. 

Graeme Stewart, Chairman. 
Frederic W. Upham, John R. Morron, 
Harold F. McCormick, Alfred L. Baker. 

New Charter Committee. 
Alexander H. Revell, Edward B. Butler. 

Charter Revenue Committee. 

Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Edward B. Butler, Arthur D. Wheeler, 

Graeme Stewart, Bernard E. Sunny. 

High-School Scholarship Committee. 
Granger Farwell, Chairman. 
Charles H. Wacker, John R. Morron. 

Committee in Charge of Visiting Chicago's 
Industries. 
Harold F. McCormick, Chairman. 
William R. Harper, Alfred Cowles. 

Committee on Lake Front Park. 
Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Edgar A. Bancroft, Alex. H. McCormick, 
Charles L. Bartlett, Edward D. Kenna. 

Small Parks Committee. 
Graeme Stewart, 
Edgar A. Bancroft, Frederick Greeley, 

Alex. A. McCormick, Frederic W. Upham. 



120 



1905-6. 

President Charles H. Wacker 

Vice-President Frank H. Armstrong 

Treasurer David R. Forgan 

Secretary Charles D. Norton 

Executive Committee. 

Theodore W. Robinson, Granger Farwell, 
Alfred L. Baker, Louis A. Ferguson, 

John R. Morron, Charles G. Dawes. 

Reception Committee. 

Theodore W. Robinson, Chairman. 
Charles H. Thorne, James Gamble Rogers, 

Arthur D. Wheeler, A. A. Sprague II. 

Lake Bluff Naval Training Station 
Committee. 

Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Frederic W. Upham, John R. Morron, 
Harold F. McCormick, Alfred L. Baker, 
Charles H. Wacker. 

Charter Revenue Committee. 

Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Frederic W. Upham, Edward B. Butler, 
Arthur D. Wheeler, Bernard E. Sunny. 



121 



Educational Committee. 

Arthur D. Wheeler, Chairman. 

Joseph T. Bowen, Harry G. Selfridge, 

Benjamin Carpenter, Charles L. Bartlett, 

Walter B. Smith, Rensselaer W. Cox, 

Harold F. McCormick, Thomas E. Donnelley, 

Joseph E. Otis, John F. Harris, 

Allen B. Pond, Hugh J. McBirney, 

Clayton Mark, Frank B. Noyes. 

High-School Scholarship Committee. 

Granger Farwell, Chairman. 
John R. Morron, Frank H. Armstrong, 

Charles H. Wacker, Albert J. Earling. 

Small Parks Committee. 

Frederick Greeley, Chairman. 
Clarence Buckingham, Allen B. Pond. 

Committee in Charge Visiting Chicago's 
Industries. 

Edward F. Carry, Chairman. 
Medill McCormick, A. A. Sprague II, 

Hiram R. McCullough, Samuel Insull, 
Harold F. McCormick. 



122 



Lake Front Park Committee. 

A. A. McCormick, Chairman. 
Walter H. Wilson, Edgar A. Bancroft, 

B. A. Eckhart, Charles H. Thorne. 

New Charter Committee. 

Alexander H. Revell, Chairman. 
Edward B. Butler, Bernard E. Sunny. 

Street Cleaning Committee. 

(To co-operate with Commercial Club Committee.) 

David R. Forgan, Harry G. Selfridge, 

Alexander H. Revell, John R. Morron, 
Frank H. Armstrong. 



123 



1906-7. 

President Charles D. Norton 

Vice-President John R. Morron 

Treasurer William E. Clow 

Secretary Thomas E. Donnelley 

Executive Committee. 

Charles H. Wacker, Frederic A. Delano, 
Louis A. Ferguson, Charles R. Crane 

Charles G. Dawes, Arthur D. Wheeler. 

Reception Committee. 

Arthur D. Wheeler, Chairman. 
Edward F. Carry, Francis C. Farwell, 

John F. Harris, John W. Scott. 

Educational Committee. 

Theodore W. Robinson, Chairman. 
Clayton Mark, Bernard E. Sunny, 

John R. Morron, Frederic W. Upham, 

John E. Wilder. 

City Plan Committee. 

Chairman Charles D. Norton 

V ice-Chairman Charles H. Wacker 

Treasurer David R. Forgan 

Chairman Finance Committee, Walter H. Wilson 
Edward B. Butler, Frederic A. Delano. 



124 



Committee on Visiting Chicago Industries. 

Edward F. Carry, Chairman. 
Harold F. McCormick, W. Vernon Booth, 
Samuel Insull, Hiram R. McCullough. 

Waterways Committee. 

Clyde M. Carr, Chairman. 
Walter B. Smith, Rensselaer W. Cox. 

Committee on Boulevard Link to Connect 
North and South Sides, 

Charles H. Wacker, Chairman. 
Frederic W. Upham, Albert A. Sprague II, 
Clyde M. Carr, Louis A. Ferguson. 

Lake Bluff Naval Training Station 
Committee. 

Walter H. Wilson, Chairman. 
Frederic W. Upham, Harold F. McCormick, 
John R. Morron, Alfred L. Baker. 



125 



COMMERCIAL CLUB 




GEORGE CLINTON CLARKE 

Secretary Eight Years 

1878-1885 




JOHN JAMES JANES 

Secretary Fifteen Years 

1886-1901 




MURRY NELSON 
Treasurer Four Years 

1878-1881 
Vice-President, 1882 









fS* ft 


' B 


^XJ& 


J&to 




m 






^■k^H 



HENRY J. MACFARLAND 

Treasurer Ten Years 

1892-1901 



127 



CATALOGUE OF MEETINGS 



Note: — From its foundation until the union with the Merchants Club 
in 1907, the officers of the Commercial Club, for the current year, always 
arranged and were responsible for the first meeting of the following year. 



130 



THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 

1878. 

LEVI Z. LEITER, President. 

January 19, Chicago Club. Attendance, 19 members, 3 guests. 

Subject : The purpose, scope and best method of conducting 
this Club. General discussion. 

Clinton Locke, Chaplain. 

February 16, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 25 members, 2 guests. 
Subject : Compromise with fraud. 
Speakers : Hon. E. B. Washburn and members. 

J. Monroe Gibson, Chaplain. 

March 30, Chicago Club. Attendance, 22 members, 1 guest. 

Subject : The situation in our municipal affairs. 

A. E. Kittridge, Chaplain. 

April 27, Chicago Club. Attendance, 35 members, 2 guests. 

Subject : The situation in our municipal affairs. 
Speakers : Mayor Heath, Comptroller Farwell. 

May 25, Palmer House. Attendance, 5 guests. 

Subject : Diversion of trade. 

October 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 24 members, 7 guests. 
Subject : Our city streets. 

Brooke Herford, Chaplain. 

November 30, Tremont House. Attendance, 27 members, 6 guests, 
3 Club guests. 
Subject : Taxation. 

Bishop McLaren, Chaplain. 

December 28, Sherman House. Attendance, 30 members. 

Subject : Taxation. 

Speakers : Several members of Legislature were guests and 
took part in the discussion. 



131 



1879. 

JOHN W. DOANE, President. 

January 29, Palmer House. Attendance, 36 members, 4 guests. 

Subject : Our Club : Its past and future. General discussion. 

February 22, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 7 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : The Military, as protectors of property, local and 
National. 

March 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 23 members, 5 guests, 

1 Club guest. 

Subject : Legislative interference, congressional, state, and 

municipal, with private rights. 

Arthur Swasey, Chaplain. 

April 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 29 members, 15 guests. 
Subject : Should the higher schools be supported by public 
taxation? 

Brooke Herford, Chaplain. 

May 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 26 members, 3 guests, 
1 Club guest. 
Subject : Sunday laws: To what extent ought they to be 
enforced in the interest of a good municipal government 
and the welfare of the citizens? 

June: Visited Boston on invitation of Boston Commercial Club. 

October 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 27 members, 9 guests. 

Subject : Discussion informal. 

Prof. David Swing, Chaplain. 

November. Omitted. 

December 6, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 50 members, 66 
guests, 28 Club guests. 

Subject: Special. Dinner given to General U. S. Grant on 
his return from his tour around the world. 

Speakers : J. W. Doane, Gen. Grant, J. W. Candler, Gov. Rice, 
E. B. Mudge, M. D. Spaulding, Gov. Stannard, Gov. Bagley, 
T. F. Wilson, C. L. Colby, Ezra Millard, Rev. William 
Holland, E. G. Mason, Gov. Long, H. W. Brown, Gen. Hor- 
ace Porter, F. W. Lincoln. 

R. A. Holland, Chaplain. 

December. Omitted. 

132 



1880. 

JOHN W. DOANE, President. 

January 31, Tremont House. Attendance, 8 Club guests, besides 
members and their guests. 
Subject : Do we need a bankrupt law? 

Speakers : Judge Henry W. Blodgett and members of the club. 

George C. Lorimer, Chaplain. 

February 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 28 members, 3 
guests, 5 Club guests. 

Subject : Our sewerage; the public system and that of our 
homes; what are the defects and the possible remedies? 

Speakers : Gen. Sooy Smith, Mayor Harrison, Eev. W. E. 
Alger, Dr. De Laskie Miller, and several Club members; 
John M. Clark. 

W. K. Alger, Chaplain. 

March 27, Palmer House. Attendance, 21 members, 7 guests, 4 
Club guests. 

Subject : Has Chicago not reached a period in its growth 
when special attention should be paid to the fostering of 
art, literature and science? 

Speakers : W. M. E. French, George E. Adams, W. H. Brad- 
ley and others. 

W. H. Eyder, Chaplain. 

April 24, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 29 members, 4 guests, 
2 Club guests. 
Subject : What is the best pavement for our streets and 

boulevards? 
Speakers : Mayor Harrison, and others. 

Bishop Cheney, Chaplain. 

May 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 8 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : Should not the commercial prosperity of great cities 
be attended by the cultivation of art, literature, science 
and comprehensive charities, and the establishment of art 
museums, public libraries, industrial schools and free hos- 
pitals? 
Speakers: Gen. Garfield, Ohio; Judge Edward Pierrepont, New 
York; Ex-Gov. Marshall Jewell, Connecticut; Gen. Horace 
Porter, New York. 

Frederick K. Cornberg, Chaplain. 



133 



October 30, Chicago Literary Club. Attendance, 39 members, 9 
guests, 1 Club guest. 
Subject : Nuisances afflicting Chicago; chiefly smoke, steam 
whistles and bad streets. 

R. A. Holland, Chaplain. 

November 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 9 
guests, 6 Club guests. 
Subject : The coming session of the Legislature; legislation 

needed. 
Speakers : Gen. Sheridan, T. F. Withrow, J. L. Thompson, 
A. A. Carpenter, Gen. I. N. Stiles, Francis Adams, B. M. 
Wilson. 

Herrick Johnson, Chaplain. 

December. Meeting omitted. Christmas. 



1881. 

ORRIN W. POTTER, President. 

January 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 40 members, 3 guests, 

1 Club guest. 
Subject : The Club. 

Speakers : Members Fairbank, Leiter, Gage, Henderson, 
Blatchford, Clark, Crane, MacVeagh, Nelson and Harvey. 

Dr. Sullivan, Chaplain. 

February 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 33 members, 7 
guests, 3 Club guests. 
Subject : Disposition of Chicago sewage. 
» Speakers : E. S. Chesbrough, George Muirhead, and Eugene 
Cary, of guests, and members J. M. Clark, Drake, Mac- 
Veagh, Pullman, A. A. Sprague, Watkins and Leith. 

F. A. Noble, Chaplain. 

March 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 8 guests, 

2 Club guests. 

Subject : Our license laws and their bearing on the expenses 

of our city government. 
Speakers : Lester, King, Wampold, McAuley, Blatchford, 

Edson Keith, E. G. Keith, Crane, Gage, Doane, George C. 

Walker, A. A. Sprague, Watkins, Nelson, Gen Sooy Smith, 

J. D. Harvey. 

Galusha Anderson, Chaplain. 



134 



April 30, Leland Hotel. Attendance, 31 members, 13 guests, 1 
Club guest. 
Subject : The need of a half -holiday in Chicago. 
Speakers : F. W. Palmer, A. S. Gage, D. L. Shorey of guests, 
members Hughitt, Macf arland, Preston, Nelson. 

Brooke Herford, Chaplain. 

May 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 27 members, 3 guests, 
2 Club guests. 
Subject : Our bridge system: its relation to commerce and 

the city's business interests. 
Speakers: Edwin Lee Brown, D. C. Cregier, John M. Loomis, 
John M. Clark, A. A. Carpenter, George C. Walker. 

J. M. Worrell, Chaplain. 

November 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 9 
guests, 9 Club guests. 
Subject : Does punishment follow crime in this community? 

If not, why not? 
Speakers: Judges Tuley, Wallace, Hawes, Dickey; J. L. High, 
C. B. Cameron, E. A. Storrs, John M. Clark. 

J. M. Worrell, Chaplain. 

December 31, Union League Club. Attendance, 33 members, 12 
guests, 1 Club guest. 
Subject : The right of the State to interfere in the affairs of 

public corporations. 
Speakers : William Eipley, M. L. Scudder, members Nelson, 
Baker, Drake, Leith. 

George C. Milne, Chaplain. 



1882. 

ALBERT A. SPRAGUE, President. 

January 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 14 
guests, 2 Club guests. 
Subject : How can the city best raise sufficient revenue to 
efficiently carry on the different branches of its govern- 
ment? 
Speakers : President Eliot, Comptroller T. T. Gurney, Alder- 
man A. H. Burley, E. C. Larnedj members Carpenter, 
George C. Walker, Wat kins. 

J. H. Barrows, Chaplain. 



135 



February 25, Palmer House. Attendance, 42 members, 15 guests, 
2 Club guests. 
Subject : What can be done to suppress or check gambling 

in this city? 
Speakers : Judge Syms of Denver, Melville E. Stone, Elmer 
Washburn, Judge J. D. Caton, also members Fairbank, 
Gage, Baker, Clark. 

E. P. Goodwin, Chaplain. 

March 25, Palmer House. Attendance, 36 members, 17 guests, 1 
Club guest. 
Subject : The need of a school for industrial training in 

Chicago. 
Speakers : Charles H. Ham, Col. A. Jacobson, Prof. S. H. 
Peabody, Marshall Field, E. W. Blatchford, E. T. Crane. 
Mr. Field headed subscription paper with $20,000, and 
$57,000 was pledged before adjournment. 

Arthur Little, Chaplain. 

April 29, Palmer House. Attendance, 36 members, 13 guests, 3 
Club guests. 
Subject : Consolidation of various charities under one 

system. 
Speakers : E. B. McCagg, Eev. W. C. Wendte, and members. 

W. H. Eyder, Chaplain. 

May 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 47 members, 29 guests, 
66 Club guests. 
Special banquet in honor of the St. Louis and Cincinnati 

Commercial Clubs. 
Speakers : Murry Nelson, John W. Doane, and responses by 
James L. Broadhead of St. Louis, and Thomas T. Gaff of 
Cincinnati, and by Gen. Sheridan and Eev. E. A. Holland. 

Brooke Herford, Chaplain. 

October. Omitted because of visit to St. Louis with Boston and 
Cincinnati Clubs. 

November 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 33 members, 9 

guests, 1 Club guest. 

Subject : Paper by Mr. Blatchford on the ' ' Training School. ' ' 

Speakers : Gov. Anthony of Kansas, Eev. Minot Savage of 

Boston, and several members. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 



136 



December 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 35 members, 10 
guests. 
Subject : Need of a State license law to regulate the sale of 

alcoholic and malt liquors. 
Speakers : J. H. McVicker, and several members of Legis- 
lature, members Carpenter, King, Drake, Henderson. 

Bishop Cheney, Chaplain. 



1883. 

AUGUSTUS A. CAEPENTER, President. 

January 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 13 

guests. 
Subject : What is the most desirable method of increasing 

the revenue of the city, and to what extent should it be 

increased? 
Speakers : Thomas Hoyne, Emery Storrs, O. S. A. Sprague, 

J. M. Clark. 

February 24, Palmer House. Attendance, 31 members, 10 guests. 
Subject : Use and abuse in the disposition of charities. 

E. I. Galvin, Chaplain. 

March 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 33 members, 3 guests, 
1 Club guest. 
Subject: The open and increasing immorality in this city: 

can anything be done to lessen it? 
Speakers : Eabbi Hirsch, M. K. Jessup of New York, and 
members Henderson, Bartlett, George C. Walker, J. M. 
Clark, Farwell, Gage, George C. Clarke. 

William H. Vibbert, Chaplain. 

April 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 29 members, 10 guests, 

1 Club guest. 
Subject : Need and practicability of a scheme to provide 

cheap and good houses for working people. 

Speakers : Mr. S. S. Beman, members Crane, Hughitt, Crerar, 

Gage. 

Rabbi Hirsch, Chaplain. 



137 



May 26, Calumet Club. Attendance, 35 members, 16 guests, 2 Club 

guests. 
Subject : Is it practical in matters of dispute in commercial 

transactions to substitute some system of arbitration for 

reference to court and juries? 

Speakers : John N. Jewett, B. C. Cook, members Baker, Crerar, 

George C. Clarke, Carpenter. 

H. W. Thomas, Chaplain. 

October 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 4 guests, 
1 Club guest. 
Subject : Desirability at future reunions of Commercial Clubs 
in cities to set apart a portion of one day to discuss the 
commercial interests of the various cities represented by 
the Clubs. 
Speakers : Members King. H. W. Fuller, Nelson, Clarke, Far- 
well, Wampold, Clark. 

M. Utter, Chaplain. 

November 24, Calumet Club. Attendance, 53 members, 67 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : Complimentary and farewell to Lieut. Gen. P. H. 

Sheridan. 
Speakers : Gen. Sheridan, Gen. Schofield, E. G. Mason, Eev. 
Louis S. Osborne, Hon. J. Sterling Morton, Franklin Mac- 
Veagh. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 

December 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 14 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : Hennepin Canal. 

Speakers : Maj. Benyard and other guests, and several mem- 
bers. 

Clinton Locke, Chaplain. 



138 



1884. 

JOHN M. CLAEK, President. 

January 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 7 guests, 
1 Club guest. 
Subject : Should the United States Government undertake 
transmission of telegraphic messages as it now under- 
takes the transmission of letters by mail? 
Speakers : Edward Everett Hale, Prof. Elisha Gray, Judge 
John D. Caton, members Henderson, Baker, Stager. 

Louis S. Osborne, Chaplain. 

February 23, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 6 
guests, 1 Club guest. 
Subject : What are the causes of the present depression of 

commercial and industrial interests? 
Speakers: J. H. McVicker, members Bartlett, Crane, Crerar, 
Drake, Fairbank, Field, Gage, Harvey, King, Macfarland, 
Pullman. 

Bishop McLaren, Chaplain. 

March 29, Palmer House. Attendance, 35 members, 5 guests, 2 
Club guests. 
Subject : Legislative blackmail and municipal corruption: 

Cause and remedy. 
Speakers : Mayor A. G. Adams of Burlington, Judge Eugene 
Cary, members McGenniss, Edson Keith, E. G. Keith, Har- 
vey, O. S. A. Sprague, George C. Clarke. 

P. S. Henson, Chaplain. 

April 26, Leland Hotel. Attendance, 36 members, 10 guests, 3 Club 

guests. 
Subjeet : Silver as money: What should be the position of 

the Government relative thereto? 

Speakers : Sub-Treasurer Gilbert, M. L. Scudder, members 

Carpenter, Nelson, Gage. 

Louis S. Osborne, Chaplain. 

May 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 28 guests, 
7 club guests. 
Subject : What should be the character and limitations of 

instruction at public schools? 
Speakers : Hon. Andrew D. White, John I. Gilbert, Murat 
Halsted, Whitelaw Eeid, Justice Harlan, Franklin Mac- 
Veagh. (Theodore Eoosevelt expected, but did not come.) 

Bishop Fallows, Chaplain. 



139 



October 24, Palmer House. Attendance, 41 members, 6 guests, 1 
Club guest. 
Subject : Informal; principally in regard to Training Schools. 
Speaker : E. W. Blatchford on Manual Training School. 

J. Coleman Adams, Chaplain. 

November 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 10 

guests, 1 Club guest. 
Subject : Is speculation an injury or a benefit to the general 

business interests of the country? 

Speakers: E. Nelson Blake, members Bartlett, Henderson, 

Nelson, Baker. 

F. M. Bristol, Chaplain. 

December 27, Calumet Club. Attendance, 49 members, 20 guests, 
3 Club guests. 

Subject : Unemployed laborers: What obligations rest upon 
the city or citizens for their support? What measures 
are practicable on the part of employers to diminish their 
numbers? Can any plan of employment, public or private, 
be devised that will provide them with at least a bare 
living? 

Speakers : Prof. H. C. Adams, Edwin Lee Brown, Judge 

Gresham, Dr. Hosmer Johnson, E. T. Crane, J. J. Glessner, 

Henry W. King. 

W. M. Salter, Chaplain. 

1885. 

FRANKLIN MACVEAGH, President. 

January 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 45 members, 12 
guests, 1 Club guest. 
December subject continued. 

Speakers : Be v. E. I. Galvin, members Hughitt, Fairbank, 
Pullman, Drake, Gage. 

Thomas E. Green, Chaplain. 

February 28, Palmer House. Attendance, 34 members, 7 guests, 9 
Club guests. 
Subject : What should be done to prepare for the possible 

advent of cholera the coming season? 
Speakers: Mayor Harrison, Comptroller T. T. Gurney, Drs. 
J. N. Hyde, Rauch, Ludlam, De Wolf, Johnson. 

Bishop Cheney, Chaplain. 

March 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Omitted, in respect to memory of 
General Anson Stager. 

140 



April 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 5 guests, 
4 Club guests. 
Subject : Should nominations and appointments to municipal 
offices be made on business principles to the entire exclu- 
sion of partisan considerations? 
Speakers : J. H. McVicker, George F. Bissell, Judge Lambert 
Tree, Gen. George W. Smith, Gen. John M. Schofield, mem- 
bers George C. Walker, James L. Houghteling. 

P. S. Henson, Chaplain. 

May 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 38 members, 11 guests, 
2 Club guests. 

Subject : Should the citizens of Chicago make the necessary 
efforts to secure the location of the new Artillery School 
and Military Station near Chicago? 

Speakers : Gen. Schofield, Eev. W. A. Bartlett, members Car- 
penter, John M. Clark, Fairbank, Field, Hughitt, E. G. 

Keith, Oakley. 

A. E. Kittridge, Chaplain. 

June 26 and 27. Visited Boston at invitation of Boston Commer- 
cial Club. 

October 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 43 members, 24 
guests, 1 Club guest. 
Subject : What course of governmental action relative to gold 
and silver coinage will, if taken, best subserve our indus- 
trial and commercial interests? 
Speakers : Hon. James McArthur read paper for Gen. A. J. 
Warner; Hon. E. S. Lacey. 

W. H. Vibbert, Chaplain. 

November 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 8 

guests, 1 Club guest. 

Subject : Ought the difference in freight rates between car 

lots and less than car lots be abolished? 

Speakers : Members A. C. Bartlett, A. A. Sprague, O. S. A. 

Sprague. 

Prof. F. W. Fiske, Chaplain. 

December 26, Kinsleys. Attendance, 44 members, 11 guests, 4 Club 
guests. 
Subject : The Press: Its power for good and evil. How can 

we promote the one and discourage the other? 
Speakers: Hon. Joseph Medill, Melville E. Stone, J. H. Mc- 
Vicker, members Gage, E. G. Keith, Fairbank. 

Clinton Locke, Chaplain. 

141 



1886. 

LYMAN J. GAGE, President. 

January 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 46 members, 13 
guests, 2 Club guests. 
Subject : Our Club: Its past history: its future possibilities. 
Speakers: C. H. Ham, Profs. Woodward and Belfield, George 
E. Blanchard, E. W. Blatchford. 

J. Coleman Adams, Chaplain. 

February 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 38 members, 6 

guests, 2 Club guests. 

January subject continued. 

Speakers : Gen. Schofield, members Pullman, Fairbank, Nelson, 

Crane, E. G. Keith, and others. 

George C. Lorimer, Chaplain. 

March 27, Kinsley's. Attendance, 43 members, 8 guests, 8 Club 
guests. 
Subject : Is it advisable for the citizens of Chicago to make 
the necessary efforts to secure the location of the new 
Artillery School and Military Station near Chicago? 
Speakers : Gen. Schofield, Hon. E. T. Lincoln, Judge Eugene 
Cary, Elmer Washburn, T. F. Withrow, George M. Pullman. 

M. W. Stryker, Chaplain. 

April 24, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 17 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : The eight-hour movement: its advantages, disad- 
vantages, and probable results. 
Speakers : M. M. Trumbull, Wm. Salter, E. T. Crane, O. W. 
Potter. 

George C. Lorimer, Chaplain. 

May 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 17 guests, 
3 Club guests. 
Subject : The late civil disorder: its causes and lessons. 
Speakers : Gen. W. T. Sherman, F. W. Peck, members Crane, 
Houghteling, Nelson, King, George C. Clarke. 

Eabbi Hirsch, Chaplain. 

October 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 10 
guests, 6 Club guests. 
Subject : Abstracts of title, Cook County: evils and dangers 
of present system; what reforms are needed? 

142 



Speakers : A. M. Pence, C. E. Simmons, John G. Shortall, 
John P. Wilson, George C. Walker. 

W. H. Ryder, Chaplain. 

November 27, Richelieu Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 13 guests, 
2 Club guests. 
Subject : Social and industrial antagonisms: What can be 

done to avert the evils they threaten? 
Speakers : William Neistadt, C. B. Holmes. 

John H. Barrows, Chaplain. 

December 18, Kinsley's. Attendance, 44 members, 12 guests, 8 Club 

guests. 

Subject : Drainage and water supply of the City of Chicago. 

Speakers : Rudolph Herring, C. E., L. E. Cooley, C. E., Dr. 

John L. Rauch, Benezette Williams, C. E., Ossian Guthrie, 

Hon. David L. Shorey, members Fairbank, Glessner. 

John H. Worcester, Chaplain. 



1887. 

ADOLPHUS C. BARTLETT, President. 

January 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 48 members, 9 
guests, 1 Club guest. 
Subject : Our Club: Reflections, criticisms and suggestions. 
Speakers : Members Henry W. King, E. G. Keith, John M. 
Clark. 

Prof. David Swing, Chaplain. 

February 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 28 
guests, 4 Club guests. 

Subject : Bucket Shops and Pool Rooms: Their danger to 
the business interests of the city. How can they be sup- 
pressed? 

Speakers: George G. Brine, members Baker, Fairbank, and 

Nelson. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 

March 26, Palmer House. Attendance, 38 members, 14 guests, 3 
Club guests. 
Subject : The saloon in politics. 

Speakers : Andrew Paxton, members Houghteling, Clark, 
E. G. Keith, Nelson. 

Chas. Conklin, Chaplain. 

143 



April 30, Eichelieu Hotel. Attendance, 43 members, 20 guests, 6 
Club guests. 
Subject : Should the theatres of Chicago be closed on Sun- 
days? 
Speakers: J. H. McVicker, John JEL Hamline, J. M. Hill, C. C. 
Bonney, members Hotz, Drake, Glessner, Eand, Fairbauk. 

W. H. Eyder, Chaplain. 

June 11, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 45 members, 42 guests, 
50 Club guests. 
Special meeting and banquet to the Boston Commercial Club. 

Prof. Swing, Chaplain. 

October 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 17 

guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : Our duty, as citizens, to the State. 
Speakers : Hon. A. M. Pence, Gen. I. N. Stiles, Judges Gary 

and Grinnell, Eev. Dr. Parker of London, members Crane 

and Phelps. 

J. L. Withrow, Chaplain. 

November 26, Eichelieu Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 23 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : The Clubs of Chicago: Their influence in this city. 
Speakers : H. J. Macfarland for Calumet; Geo. W. Smith for 
Union League; Alson E. Clark, Illinois; Augustus Jacob- 
son, Chicago; E. G. Mason, University; Eev. Geo. C. Noyes, 
Literary; Chas. D. Hamill, Apollo. 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

December 31, Kinsley's. Attendance, 48 members, 25 guests, 4 
Club guests. 
Subject : American Citizenship: What legislation, if any, is 
desirable to control the immigration of foreigners to this 
country? 
Speakers : Hon. Herman Easter, Hon. George E. Adams, Hon. 
E. W. Dunham, members Farwell and King. 

Thomas C. Hall, Chaplain. 



144 



1888. 

ELIPHALET W. BLATCHFOED, President. 

January 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance. 45 members, 18 

guests, 3 Club guests. 

Subject : Monopolies: Their effect upon the public. 

Speakers : Judge John W. Green, James S. Norton, John M. 

Clark. 

J. Wolfenden, Chaplain. 

February 25, Kinsley's. Attendance, 40 members, 31 guests, 6 Club 
guests. 
Subject: Commercial union with Canada. 
Speakers : Hon. Erastus Wyman of New York, Hon. Ben- 
jamin Butterworth of Ohio, Lyman J. Gage. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 

March 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 38 members, 12 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : What are the best means of preventing pauperism 

and crime? 
Speakers : C. H. Ham, Judge O. H. Horton, J. D. Grinnell, 
W. J. Onahan, C. B. Holmes. 

J. Coleman Adams, Chaplain. 

April 28, Calumet Club. Attendance, 38 members, 19 guests, 2 Club 
guests. 
Subject : Eailroads: The obligations of the management to 

the stockholders, the employes and the public. 
Speakers : E. T. Jeffrey, C. W. Ernst, members A. A. Sprague, 
Porter, Hotz. 

David E. Breed, Chaplain. 

October 27, Kinsley's. Attendance, 43 members, 13 guests, 2 Club 
guests. 
Subject : Sunday Laws: To what extent ought they to be 
enforced in the interest of good municipal government and 
the welfare of its citizens? 
Speakers : Prof. Blanchard, Eev. Dr. J. M. Pullman, members 
MacVeagh, Glessner. 

Arthur Little, Chaplain. 



145 



November 24, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 9 
guests, 4 Club guests. 
Subject : Eapid transit for Chicago. 

Speakers : Hon. Thos. B. Bryan, Col. K. P. Morgan, J. Frank 
Aldrich, C. B. Holmes. 

Clinton Locke, Chaplain. 

December 31, Kinsley's. Attendance, 44 members, 41 guests, 7 Club 
guests. 
Subject : The Interstate Commerce Law: Its effect upon the 
railroads and the business of the country since it has 
been in operation. 
Speakers : Senator Henry L. Dawes, Hons. W. C. Goudy, M. 
E. Ingalls, T. F. Withrow, John S. Eunnells, H. C. Wickes, 
members Bartlett and Harvey. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 



1889. 

CHAELES L. HUTCHINSON, President. 

January 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 38 members, 15 
guests, 2 Club guests. 
Subject : Our Club: What has it accomplished? What are 

our duties as members? 
Speakers : Members Harvey, Crane, Hotz, Houghteling. 

P. S. Henson, Chaplain. 

February 23, Kinsley's. Attendance, 29 members, 9 guests, 11 
Club guests. 
Subject : The indifference of the intellectual classes to poli- 
ties: causes and remedies. 
Speakers : Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, Hon. J. Sterling Morton, 
Hon. F. F. Davis, A. M. Pence, members Holmes, McClurg. 

F. M. Bristol, Chaplain. 

March 30, Kinsley's. Attendance, 39 members, 14 guests, 8 Club 
guests. 
Subject : Legislative interference with vested and private 

rights. 
Speakers : Hon. Lyman Trumbull, Judge Eugene Cary, John 
H. Hamline, George Driggs, L. J. Gage. 

Samuel Fallows, Chaplain. 



146 



April 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 32 members, 4 guests, 
8 Club guests. 
Subject : Eeflections and criticisms upon the subjects and 

discussions during the past year. 
Speakers : Hon. John N. Jewett, Baron Erlanger, Julius Dex- 
ter, members E. G. Keith, MacVeagh, Nelson, George C. 
Walker. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain (absent). 

October 26. Omitted, in respect to memory of John Crerar. 

November 30, Kinsley's. Attendance, 39 members, 11 guests, 2 
Club guests. 
Subject : Social and economical aspects of the eight-hour 

movement. 
Speakers : Hon C. S. Darrow, and members Field, Hughitt, 
Crane, Porter, Eand, King, made brief remarks. 

J. L. Withrow, Chaplain. 

December 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 38 members, 19 
guests, 4 Club guests. 
Subject : Employers and employed: Their relative rights and 

reciprocal duties. 
Speakers : Mr. Percival Chubb of England, George C. Prus- 
sing, and members Gage, Holmes, Crane, Nelson. 

Clinton Locke, Chaplain. 

1890. 

ELBEIDGE G. KEITH, President. 

January 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 47 members, 37 
guests, 34 Club guests. 
Subject : Public Libraries: Their use, influence, and adminis- 
tration. 
Speakers : President Angell, Justin Winsor, LL.D., Eev. 
Jos. H. Twitchell, W. F. Poole, LL.D., George W. Curtis, 
Prof. H. B. Adams, Hon. Andrew D. White, Hon. Newton 
Bateman, and others unable to be present, sent papers. 

E. I. Galvin, Chaplain. 

March 1, Kinsley's. Attendance, 38 members, 14 guests, 9 Club 
guests. 
Subject : Manual Training: How to get it. 
Speakers : Hon. James McAllister, Superintendent of Public 
Schools, Philadelphia; Col. Augustus Jacobson. 

Thos. C. Hall, Chaplain. 



147 



March 29, Calumet Club. Attendance, 39 members, 21 guests, 12 

Club guests. 
Subject : Do we need a bankrupt law? If so, what should 

be its main provisions? 

Speakers : Hon. Jay L. Torrey and E. C. Simmons, of St. 

Louis; Hon. O. H. Horton. 

P. S. Henson, Chaplain. 

April 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 52 members, 11 guests, 

12 Club guests. 
Subject : Nuisances afflicting Chicago, chiefly smoke, filthy 

streets and alleys. 
Speakers : Hon. D. C. Cregier, Henry S. Boutell, Hon. Joseph 

Medill, W. J. Onahan, Dr. Swayne Wickersham, Hon. 

John A. Eoche, members Clark, Fairbank, MacVeagh, 

Crane. 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

June 23, Grand Pacific Hotel. 

(Special — John B. Drake's invitation) Faculty and Students 

of Chicago Manual Training School. 
Speakers : W. T. Belfield and others. 

October 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 18 
guests, 11 Club guests. 
Subject : Has Chicago not reached that period when special 
attention should be given to the founding of art galleries 
and museums? Will the World's Columbian Exposition 
be of any benefit to this city in that direction? 
Speakers : Hon. T. B. Bryan, W. M. E. French, E. T. Jeffery, 
members Hutchinson, MacVeagh, Fairbank. 

John H. Barrows, Chaplain. 

November 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 46 members, 20 
guests, 15 Club guests. 
Subject : Is the cause of education best served by our present 

public school system? 
Speakers : Dr. Norman Bridge, Ferd. W. Peck, William G. 
Beale, A. G. Lane, Hon. Benjamin Butterworth. 

Eabbi Hirsch, Chaplain. 

December 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 47 members, 19 
guests, 5 Club guests. 
Subject : What shall be done to obtain good municipal gov- 
ernment for Chicago? 
Speakers: Hon. Murray F. Tuley, John N. Jewett, John H. 
Hamline, members Baker, Fairbank, Head, Glessner, George 
C. Walker. 

A. L. Canfield, Chaplain. 

148 



1891. 

MAEVIN HUGHITT, President. 

January 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 36 
guests, 23 Club guests. 

Subject : The relation of the colleges to the development of 
the Northwest, and the relation of the business men to the 
colleges. 

Speakers : President Angell, Michigan; President Henry W. 
Eogers, Northwestern; Prof. W. E. Harper, Yale; Presi- 
dent W. C. Eoberts, Lake Forest; President E. D. Eaton, 
Beloit. 
(Presented Silver Service to Secretary Janes.) 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

February 28, Kinsley's. Attendance, 35 members, 16 guests, 15 
Club guests. 
Subject : How can the safety and comfort of our citizens 
and strangers be assured, and the city made more attrac- 
tive during the World's Exposition? 
Speakers : William A. Bond, John H. Hamline, D. C. Cregier, 
Hempstead Washburn, E. S. Tuthill, Franklin MacVeagh. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 

March 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 26 members, 10 guests, 

10 Club guests. 
Subject : Our Citizen Soldiers: What obligations rest upon 

the State for their support? 
Speakers : Gen. Chas. Fitz Simons, Col. C. E. E. Koch, Col. 

Louis Judd, Col. C. P. Bryan, A. C. McClurg. 

P. S. Henson, Chaplain. 
April. Omitted. 

October 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 51 members, 48 

guests, 110 Club guests. 
Subject : Entertainment of the Boston, Cincinnati and St. 

Louis Clubs. 
Speakers : Marvin Hughitt, President; A. H. Hardy, Boston; 

W. L. Huse, St. Louis; L. C. Weir, Cincinnati; William 

Whitman, Boston; Col. Geo. E. Leighton, St. Louis; Geo. 

H. Burrows, Cincinnati; Eugene Cary, Chicago; Hon. John 

W. Candler, Boston; Geo. E. Leighton, for Gov. Stannard, 

St. Louis; M. E. Ingalls, Cincinnati. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 



149 



November 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 18 
guests, 3 Club guests. 
Subject : A World's Fair Memorial. 

Speakers: Prof. F. W. Putnam of Boston, Dr. W. E. Harper, 
E. G. Mason, members Baker and Fairbank. 

John Rouse, Chaplain. 

December 26. Omitted. 



1892. 

TURLINGTON W. HARVEY, President. 

January 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 36 members, 15 
guests, 12 Club guests. 
Subject : The smoke nuisance. 

Speakers: Chas. F. White, Pres. Chas. Kendall Adams, C. 
W. Drew, J. S, Dunham, Edward Norton, Samuel Allerton, 
F. H. Head. 

F. M. Bristol, Chaplain. 

February 22, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 47 members, 40 
guests, 152 Club guests. 

Subject : Our country, and the influence of the World's Fair 
on commerce. 

Speakers : Hon. Hempstead Washburn, Senator Gallinger of 
New Hampshire; Hon. B. A. Enloe, Tennessee; H. B. 
Macfarland, Washington, D. C; Hon. A. G. Carruth, Ken- 
tucky; Hon. John B. Robinson, Pennsylvania; Hon. H. H. 
Rockwell, New York; Hon. A. Camietta, California; Mar- 
quis Imperiali; Senator Peffer, Kansas; Hon. Geo. N. 
Houk, Ohio; Hon. Geo. L. .Wilson, Washington; Hon. 
James Buchanan, New Jersey; General Curtis, New York; 
Senator Saunders, Montana. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 

March 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 18 guests, 
8 Club guests. 
Subject : The situation in our municipal affairs. 
Speakers: John H. Hamline, Ingolf K. Boyesen, M. E. Stone, 
members Peabody, Glessner, Houghteling. 

L. T. Chamberlain, Chaplain. 

April 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 36 members, 17 guests, 
11 Club guests. 
Subject : Is it desirable and feasible to elevate the tracks 
of the steam railroads within the city limits? 



150 



Speakers : Hon. J. Frank Aldrich, Carl Bender, Judge J. D. 
Springer, Hon. John S. Miller. 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

October 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 43 members, 21 
guests, 34 Club guests. 
Subject: The Allied Arts as illustrated in the construction 

of the World's Columbian Exposition. 
Speakers : D. H. Burnham, Steele Mackaye, Frank D. Millet, 
M. Bartholomay, Franklin MacVeagh 

Thomas C. Hall, Chaplain. 

November 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 20 
guests, 10 Club guests. 

Subject : In view of a possible epidemic of cholera in Europe 
during the coming year, should not Congress take immedi- 
ate action restricting immigration? 

Speakers : Dr's. John B. Hamilton, J. S. Mitchell, E. N. Isham, 

F. W. Eeilly; members Head and Nelson. 

Floyd W. Tompkins, Chaplain. 

December 31, Lexington Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 21 guests, 
6 Club guests. 
Subject : Social Science: How may individuals be trained 

for their partnership in the community? 
Speakers : Prof. Graham Taylor, Prof. A. W. Small, Eev. C. 

G. Trusdell, Prof. Ira Eemsen, E. T. Crane. 

J. G. Johnson, Chaplain. 



1893. 

ALEXANDEE C. McCLUEG, President. 

January 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 26 
guests, 39 Club guests. 

Subject : The World's Columbian Exposition: The relation 
of the departments to the advancement of industry, sci- 
ence, and art. 

Speakers : Hon. Geo. E. Davis, Director General; Hon. Walker 
Fearn, Chief Dept. Foreign Affairs; W. I. Buchanan, Chief 
Dept. Agriculture; F. J. V. Skiff, Mines; S. H. Peabody, 
Liberal Arts; Halsey C. Ives, Fine Arts; Willard A. Smith, 
Transportation; F. W. Putnam, Ethnology; L. W. Eobin- 
son, Machinery; Eev. John H. Barrows, World's Auxiliary. 

Frank M. Bristol, Chaplain. 



151 



February 25, Kinsley's. Attendance, 40 members, 20 guests, 6 Club 
guests. 

Subject : How can the cleanliness of this city be best pro- 
moted during the coming year? 

Speakers : Arthur Eyerson, Gen. Sooy Smith, Dr. John D. 

Ware, M. B. Madden, E. L. Kuhns, members Glessner 

and E. G. Keith. 

Eabbi Hirsch, Chaplain. 

March 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 26 members, 9 guests, 
8 Club guests. 
Subject : Would the administration of our state and muni- 
cipal governments be improved if conducted under civil 
service reform law? 
Speakers : Hon. John H. Hamline, Hon. L. D. Thoman, Col. 
James A. Sexton, Hon. A. M. Waterman, members Pea- 
body, Seeberger, Clark. 

Herrick Johnson, Chaplain. 

April 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 30 guests, 
6 Club guests. 
Subject : Nicaragua Canal: Its effect upon commerce. 
Speakers : Hon. Warner Miller, Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, 
Stuyvesant Fish, N. K. Fairbank. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 

October 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 52 members, 33 
guests, 8 Club guests. 
Subject : A review of the World's Fair, with reference to its 

permanent influences and results. 
Speakers : Charles Dudley Warner, Eev. F. W. Gunsaulus. 

S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 
(Mayor Harrison's assassination announced, and club ad- 
journed at once.) 

November 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 12 

guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject: A review of the World's Fair, with reference to its 

permanent influence and results. 
Speakers : E. G. Mason, Eabbi Hirsch, D. H. Burnham, Prof. 

T. C. Chamberlain, President W. E. Harper, Paul Du 

Chaillu, Ex-Gov. Eice of Massachusetts. 

T. C. Hall, Chaplain. 

December 30, Auditorium. Attendance, 44 members, 11 guests, 6 
Club guests. 
Subject : What is the present duty of Chicago or its citizens 

toward its unemployed laborers? 
Speakers : Members Gage, Nelson, Houghteling, King, Har- 
vey; also W. E. Sterling. 

E. N. Stires, Chaplain. 

152 



1894. 

WILLIAM T. BAKEE, President. 

January 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 35 members, 8 
guests, 6 Club guests. 
Subject : Upon what terms should the city grant franchises 

for the use of its streets and alleys? 
Speakers : Hon. Harry Eubens, Hon. M. B. Madden, Hon. 
Aldace F. Walker, Hon. John S. Miller, John J. Glessner. 

O. P. Gifford, Chaplain. 

February 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 26 

guests, 6 Club guests. 
Subject : Has the Interstate Commerce Law proved beneficial 

to the business interests of the country? 

Speakers : Hon. Aldace F. Walker, Prof. Arthur T. Hadley, 

Geo. E. Blanchard, H. H. Porter. 

Thos. C. Hall, Chaplain. 

March 31, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 29 members, 11 guests, 
6 Club guests. 
Subject : Will anti-option legislation by Congress be beneficial 

to the business interests of the country? 
Speakers : C. D. Hamill, Hon. J. E. Eussell, Cyrus H. Adams, 
members Fairbank, King, Porter. 

Bishop Cheney, Chaplain. 

April 28, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 33 members,. 9 guests, 
9 Club guests. 
Subject : Is International Bi-metalism practicable and desir- 
able? 
Speakers: E. Benjamin Andrews, Prest. Brown University; 
W. C. Cornwell, Prest. City National Bank, Buffalo; mem- 
bers E. G. Keith and Nelson. 

John H. Barrows, Chaplain. 

October 27, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 43 members, 22 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : Our currency: What are its defects? What reme- 
dies are practicable? Would a National Commission help 
promote reform? 
Speakers : Prof. J. Lawrence Laughlin, Hon. A. B. Hepburn, 
James H. Eckels, L. J. Gage. 

Thomas N. Morrison, Chaplain. 



153 



November 24, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 11 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : How can the evils of our present system of taxing 
real and personal property and levying special assessments 
be reformed? 
Speakers : Hon. H. B. Hurd, W. K. Ackerman, Josiah Lom- 
bard, Gen. George W. Smith, Murry Nelson. 

S. G. Smith, of St. Paul, Chaplain. 

December 29, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 49 members, 14 
guests, 4 Club guests. 
Subject : What should be done with the Lake Front? 
Speakers : John H. Hamline, members George C. Walker, 
Bartlett, Fairbank. 

Thomas C. Hall, Chaplain. 



1895. 

HENEY W. KING, President. 

January 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 40 members, 12 

guests, 13 Club guests. 

Subject : How can municipal reform be best promoted? 

Speakers : Hon. John W. Ela, Hon. George E. Adams, Prof. 

Albion W. Small. 

John Eouse, Chaplain. 

February 23, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 5 

guests, 2 Club guests. 
Subject : To hear report of committee appointed to visit 

Springfield in interest of municipal reform. 

Speakers : Hon. George B. Swift, John H. Hamline, members 

Peabody and Gage. 

J. H. Barrows, Chaplain. 

March 30, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 36 members, 8 guests, 
22 Club guests. 
Subject : How shall municipal affairs be relieved from the 
strain of party affiliation so as to insure the perfect work- 
ing of the merit system? 
Speakers : James S. Norton, Eobert A. Waller, members 
E. G. Keith, Houghteling, M. E. Stone. 

W. M. Lawrence, Chaplain. 



154 



April. Omitted; members absent. 

« 
October. Omitted; St. Louis excursion 23rd and 24th. 

November 30, Kinsley's. Attendance, 40 members, 11 guests, 2 
Club guests. 
Subject : Eeview of our recent trip to St. Louis. 
Speakers : Members Porter, Bartlett, Crane, H. B. Stone, 
Head, Chalmers. 

W. W. Fenn, Chaplain. 

December 28, Kinsley's. Attendance, 45 members, 12 guests, 4 
Club guests. 
Subject : The financial situation in our municipal affairs: 

What is the remedy? 
Speakers : Hon. George B. Swift, Hon. O. D. Wetherell, Hon. 
Joseph Medill. 

J. H. Barrows, Chaplain. 

1896. 

FEANCIS B. PEABODY, President. 

January 25, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 7 guests, 

2 Club guests. 

Subject : What can be done to reform the inequalities of the 

present system of taxing real and personal property? 

Speakers : Prof. Booker T. Washington, members George C. 

Walker, Higinbotham. 

N. D. Hillis, Chaplain. 

February 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 7 guests, 

3 Club guests. 

Subject : What should be the settled policy of the United 
States in its relations to other powers? What is the rea- 
sonable construction of the Monroe Doctrine, and on what 
occasions should it be invoked? 

Speakers : E. Burritt Smith, President Henry Wade Eogers, 
Franklin MacVeagh. 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

March 28, Kinsley's. Attendance, 31 members, 11 guests, 11 Club 

guests. 
Subject : What, if anything, can be done to more thoroughly 

safeguard the morals of the youth of this city? 
Speakers: I. P. Eumsey, Eev. W. T. Meloy, Judge John Prin- 

deville, Maj. E. W. McClaughry, F. E. Haskell, A. G. Lane, 

H. N. Higinbotham. 

P. S. Henson, Chaplain. 

155 



April 25, Kinsley's. Attendance, 40 members, 11 guests, 9 Club 
guests. 
Subject : Civic Eeform. 

Speakers : Hon. L. D. Thoman, William Kent, John M. Harlan, 
Washington Hesing, members Clark, Hotz, Crane, E. A. 
Waller. 

E. M. Stires, Chaplain. 

October 31, Kinsley's. Attendance, 46 members, 12 guests, 4 Club 
guests. 
Subject : The Amendment to the Constitution to be voted 
upon at the election of November 3rd; the necessity for 
its adoption; the reform to be accomplished under it. 
Speakers : Gen. E. J. Smith, Julius Stern, I. K. Boyesen, 
Murry Nelson. 

J. S. Stone, Chaplain. 

November 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 36 members, 10 
guests, 8 Club guests. 
Subject : Charity organizations: The scheme and purpose of 
the work; the necessity for its existence as a preventive 
of Pauperism and Crime. 
Speakers : Prof. A. W. Small, Prof. C. E. Henderson, Prof. 
Hastings Hart of St. Paul, Eev. C. G. Trusdell. 

Edward A. Larrabee, Chaplain. 

December 24, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 15 
guests, 24 Club guests. 
Subject : Our facilities for commerce : Should the river 

channel be widened and deepened? 
Speakers : Capt. J. S. Dunham, George J. Brine, E. E. Aver, 
B. A. Eckhart, Jesse Spaulding, E. P. Eipley, Murry Nel- 
son, H. H. Porter. 

J. H. O. Smith, Chaplain. 

1897. 

JOHN J. GLESSNER, President. 

January 30, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 36 members, 8 guests, 
6 Club guests. 
Subject : The supreme court of the United States : Its place 
and function in the government; its permanence and in- 
dependence are essential to the existence of the republic. 
Speakers : Hon. John C. Black, Hon. P. S. Grosscup, Hon. 
Charles H. Aldrich, Hon. S. S. Gregory. 

E. M. Stires, Chaplain. 

156 



February 11, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 46 

guests, 4 Club guests. 

Special : Complimentary to Hon. Lyman J. Gage. 

Speakers : Members Glessner, Baker, Higinbotham, Hon. L. 

J. Gage. 

N. D. Hillis, Chaplain. 

March 27, Hotel Metropole. Attendance, 29 members, 9 guests, 19 
Club guests. 
Subject : What can be done to make Chicago more attrac- 
tive? 
Speakers : D. H. Burnham, James W. Ellsworth. 
(The beginning of the City plan.) 

Frank Crane, Chaplain. 

April 24, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 5 guests, 6 
Club guests. 
Subject : Should municipal elections be kept free from party 

polities? 
Speakers : I. K. Boyesen, Hon. Carter H. Harrison, members 

Keith and Nelson. 

Johnston Myers, Chaplain. 

October 30, Kinsleys. Attendance, 39 members, 9 guests, 8 Club 
guests. 
Subject : What change, if any, should be made in the system 

of assessment for taxation? 
Speakers : Gov. John E. Tanner, John P. Wilson, Marvin A. 
Farr, H. N. Higinbotham. 

Bishop Cheney, Chaplain. 

November 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 11 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : Would an exposition building on the Lake front be 

of any advantage to Chicago? 
Speakers : James W. Ellsworth, members Chalmers, Bartlett, 
MacVeagh, Nelson. 

Frank Crane, Chaplain. 

December. Omitted. Christmas. 



157 



1898. 

EUGENE CAEY, President. 

January 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 33 members, 16 guests, 

10 Club guests. 

Subject : The annexation of Hawaii. 

Speaker : Hermann Edouard von Hoist, Ph. D. 

J. G. K. McClure, Chaplain. 

February 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 31 members, 15 guests, 
13 Club guests. 
Subject : The monetary commission and its work. 
Speakers : James H. Eckels, Hon. Hugh H. Hanna. 

H. A. Johnson, Chaplain. 

March 26, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 9 guests, 

11 Club guests. 

Subject : The significance of the coming municipal election. 
Speakers : Geo. E. Cole, E. Burritt Smith, E. J. Smith, James 
L. Houghteling. 

W. J. Chichester, Chaplain. 

April 30, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 32 members, 11 guests, 12 
Club guests. 
Subject : The Cuban situation. 

Speakers : Judge P. S. Grosscup, D. P. Jones, Chief Engineer 
U. S. Navy (retired), Hon. W. J. Calhoun, Gen. O. O. How- 
ard. 

N. D. Hillis, Chaplain. 

October 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 17 guests, 
8 Club guests. 
Subject : The Philippine Islands: The duty and policy of the 

United States in reference thereto. 
Speakers : Judge P. S. Grosscup, James H. Eckels, Franklin 
MacVeagh. 

W. C. Eichardson, Chaplain. 

November 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 15 
guests, 8 Club guests. 
Subject : What I saw in India. 
Speaker : Eev. John H. Barrows, D. T>. 

Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Chaplain. 



158 



December 31, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 14 
guests, 21 Club guests. 
Subject : The need of monetary legislation. 
Speakers : Hon. Charles G. Dawes, Hon. E. S. Lacey, James 
B. Forgan, Hon. James E. Mann, W. T. Baker. 

W. J. McCaughan, Chaplain. 



1899. 

CYRUS H. McCOEMICK, President. 

January 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 35 members, 11 guests, 
2 Club guests. 
Subject : What are Chicago's most urgent needs? 
Speakers : Members Nelson, Eckhart, Jones, Kimball. 

Thaddeus A. Snively, Chaplain. 

February 18, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 40 members, 48 
guests, 28 Club guests. 
Subject : Open door in China : Complimentary to Lord 

Charles Beresford. 
Speakers : Lord Charles Beresford, George E. Adams. 

N. D. Hillis, Chaplain. 

March 25, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 28 members, 9 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : Our duty and responsibility toward juvenile of- 
fenders. 
Speakers : Judge E. F. Dunne, Howard O. Sprogle, Judge 
Neely, B. E. Sunny, E. B. Butler. 

Samuel Fallows, Chaplain. 

May 13, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 35 members, 40 guests, 14 
Club guests. 



Subject : Electricity. 
Speaker : Nikola Tesla. 



S. J. McPherson, Chaplain. 



159 



October 16, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 52 members, 56 guests, 
66 Club guests. 

Subject : Complimentary banquet to the President of the 
United States. 

Speakers: President McKinley; Vice-Pres. Mariscal of Mex- 
ico; Hon. E. E. Dobell, M. P. of Canada; Hon. John Hay, 
Secretary of State; L. J. Gage, Secretary of Treasury; A. 

C. Bartlett. 

W. E. Notman, Chaplain. 

November 25, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 13 
guests, 8 Club guests. 
Subject : Our municipal improvements: Those most needed 

and how to obtain same. 
Speakers : Hon. Carter H. Harrison, Hon. W. D. Kerfoot, 
members Hotz, Hutchinson, Bartlett, Nelson. 

Bishop Cheney, Chaplain. 

December 30, Calumet Club. Attendance, 47 members, no guests. 
Subject : Our Club. 

Speakers : Members A. A. Sprague, George C. Walker, Eyer- 
son, Keith, Hughitt, Lefens, Higinbotham, Wacker, Clowry. 

Invocation by E. W. Blatchford. 



1900. 

WILLIAM J. CHALMEES, President. 

January 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 46 members, 54 guests, 
8 Club guests. 
Subject : Liquid air. 
Speaker : Prof. Charles E. Tripler. 

E. A. Lippincott, Chaplain. 

February 24, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 33 members, 8 guests, 
6 Club guests. 

Subject : How can juvenile offenders be cared for and re- 
formed? 

Speakers : F. H. Nibecker, Supt. Glen Mills branch Pennsyl- 
vania House of Eefuge; James Allison, Supt. Cincinnati 

House of Eefuge, Judge E. S. Tuthill. 

P. S. Henson, Chaplain. 



160 



March 31, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 29 members, 23 guests, 

10 Club guests. 

Subject : The effect of the non-enforcement of the law upon 

the development of the city and upon individual rights. 

Speakers : Frederick P. Bayley, Dankmar Adler, M. E. Grady, 

Graham Taylor. 

Father Dorney, Chaplain. 

April 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 19 guests, 
2 Club guests. 
Subject : The Peace Conference at The Hague. 
Speaker : Hon. Frederick W. Holls, Secretary U. S. Delega- 
tion to The Hague. 

W. W. Fenn, Chaplain. 

October 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 38 members, 19 guests, 

6 Club guests. 
Subject : Should the Federal Government appropriate funds 

for water storage and arid land reclamation? 
Speakers : Elwood Mead, U. S. Department of Agriculture; 

F. H. Newell, U. S. Geological Survey; George H. Maxwell; 

members Eyerson, Bartlett. 

J. L. Withrow, Chaplain. 

November 24, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 43 members, 18 

guests, 5 Club guests. 
Subject : Our merchant marine: What should be done to 

promote and encourage it? 

Speakers : Henry W. Peabody, Boston; C. E. Kremer, George 

E. Adams. 

J. K. Mason, Chaplain. 

December 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 48 members, 17 
guests, 4 Club guests. 
Subject : Justice courts: "What reforms are needed? 
Speakers : Eobert McMurdy, Esq., John C. Everett, J. P. 

W. W. Fenn, Chaplain. 



161 



1901. 

WILLIAM A. FULLER, President. 

January 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 14 guests, 
6 Club guests. 
Subject : The consideration of the report of the Committee 
appointed at the meeting held last April to formulate 
a plan for the care of juvenile offenders. 
Speakers : Judge Carter, John J. Sloan, members Fuller and 
McCormick. 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

February 22, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 28 members, 16 
guests, 4 Club guests. 
Subject : The practicability of land colonization as a remedy 

for city congestion and consequent poverty and vice. 
Speakers : Lieut. Col. William Brewer of Salvation Army, 
Mr. Frederick Harrison of England. 

John H. Boyd, Chaplain. 

March 30. Omitted. (California trip.) 

April 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 35 members, 11 guests, 
49 Club guests. 
Subject : Complimentary to Mayor and Common Council. 
Speakers : Mayor Harrison, Alderman Charles H. Werno and 
H. H. Blake, member Franklin MacVeagh. 

Father Sherman, Chaplain. 

October 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 35 members, 23 guests, 

2 Club guests. 

Subject : Eeciprocal trade with the Dominion of Canada. 

Speakers : Osborne Howes of Boston Chamber of Commerce, 

Hon. James R. Mann. 

No Chaplain. 

November 30, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 31 
guests, 3 Club guests. 
Subject : Taxation. 
Speakers : John P. Wilson, Esq.; John V. Farwell, Jr. 

Bishop Anderson, Chaplain. 

December 28. Omitted. 



162 



1902. 

DAVID B. JONES, President. 

January 25, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 45 members, 21 guests, 
8 Club guests. 
Subject : The Isthmian Canal. 

Speakers : George S. Morison, New York; Edward P. Ripley. 

Richard D. Harlan, Chaplain. 

February 22, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 17 
guests, 3 Club guests. 
Subject : The Americanization of the World. 
Speaker : Prank A. Vanderlip, New York. 

John G. K. McClure, Chaplain. 

March 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 29 members, 19 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : The financial aspect of the Chicago Public School 

question. 
Speakers : John S. Miller, Elbridge G. Keith. 

Pleasant Hunter, Chaplain. 

April 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 17 guests, 

5 Club guests. 

Subject : Representation of Cook County in the Legislature. 

Speakers : Walter L. Pisher, Edgar A. Bancroft, John H. 

Hamline, A. C. Bartlett. 

Prank Du Moulin, Chaplain. 

October 25, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 15 guests, 
4 Club guests. 
Subject : Our relations with Cuba. 
Speaker : Gen. James H. Wilson, U. S. A. 

Herbert L. Willett, Chaplain. 

November 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 51 members, 35 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : The relation of University education to commerce. 
Speaker : President Woodrow Wilson, Princeton University. 

William R. Notman, Chaplain. 

December 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 48 members, 29 
guests, 12 Club guests. 
Subject : The Louisiana Purchase: Its purpose and scope. 
Speakers : Hon. D. R. Francis, Isaac S. Taylor, F. J. V. Skiff, 
Isaac W. Morton, Wm. T. Baker, H. N. Higinbotham. 

Thaddeus A. Snively, Chaplain. 

163 



1903. 

MARTIN A. RYERSON, President. 

January 31, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 43 members, 16 guests, 

2 Club guests. 

Subject : Twenty-fifth anniversary. 

Speakers : A. C. Bartlett, A. A. Sprague, Murry Nelson, Wil- 
liam T. Baker, Erskine M. Phelps, John M. Clark, George 
C. Walker, Franklin MacVeagh. 

Bishop Cheney, Chaplain. 

February 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 30 members, 11 guests, 
11 Club guests. 
Subject : Is the college an efficient institution? 
Speaker : Dr. Henry S. Pritchett, President of the Massa- 
chusetts Institute of Technology. 

Frank W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

March 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 32 members, 12 guests, 
10 Club guests. 
Subject : The proposed Constitutional Amendment. 
Speakers : John M. Clark, H. S. Mecartney, E. Allen Frost, 
John S. Miller, B. E. Sunny. 

Thaddeus A. Snively, Chaplain. 

April 25, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 13 guests, 
10 Club guests. 

Subject : How may Chicago be made more interesting and at- 
tractive? 

Speakers : Franklin MacVeagh, Fletcher .Dobyns, Daniel H. 

Burnham. 

Z. B. Phillips, Chaplain. 

October 14, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 56 members, 120 guests, 

3 Club guests. 

Subject : American good citizenship. 
Speaker : Hon. Grover Cleveland. 

Frank W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

November 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 47 members, 33 
guests, 10 Club guests. 
Subject : The Alaskan boundary case. 
Speaker : Hon. Jacob M. Dickinson. 

William O. Walters, Chaplain. 

December 26. Omitted. 

164 



1904. 

J. HAELEY BEADLEY, President. 

January 30, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 44 members, 16 guests, 
8 Club guests. 
Subject : The report of the committee of nine appointed in 
April, 1903, to formulate a general plan for Chicago's 
improvement. 
Speakers : Franklin MacVeagh, J. Harley Bradley, Leslie 
Carter, J. V. Farwell, Jr., A. C. Bartlett, D. H. Burnham, 
A. J. Earling, C. L. Hutchinson, Martin A. Eyerson. 

E. A. "White, Chaplain. 

February 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 27 members, 18 guests, 

12 Club guests. 

Subject : The advantages and disadvantages of the proposed 
constitutional amendment permitting a special charter 
for the City of Chicago. 

Speakers : John M. Clark, Mayor Dunne, John S. Miller, Esq. 

Johnston Myers, Chaplain. 

March 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 28 members, 20 guests, 

13 Club guests. 

Subject : The streets of Chicago: What is the best way of 

keeping them clean? 
Speakers : Hon. L. E. McGann, Frederick W. Blocki, John C. 

Ericson, Hon. Frank I. Bennett, Harry Gr. Selfridge. 

Frank Du Moulin, Chaplain. 

April 30, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 40 members, 28 guests, 7 
Club guests. 
Subject : Making peace between China and Japan. A per- 
sonal reminiscence by Honorable John W. Foster, of 
Washington, D. C. 
Speaker : Hon. John W. Foster. 

James S. Stone, Chaplain. 

October 29. Omitted. 

November 26, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 29 
guests, 10 Club guests; also 65 from Merchants Club. 
Joint meeting with the Merchants Club in honor of Honor- 
able Charles S. Deneen. 
Speakers : Hon. George E. Adams, Hon. Charles S. Deneen, 
Hon. L. Y. Sherman. 

John A. Morrison, Chaplain. 
December 31. Omitted. 

165 



1905. 

EDWAED B. BUTLEE, President. 

January 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 42 members, 21 guests, 

7 Club guests. 
Subject : The Eepublic of Cuba. 
Speakers : Senor Don Gonzalo Quesada, Minister to the 

United States; James H. Eckels; Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, 

U. S. A., was detained by illness, as was also Eev. Fred. V. 

Hawley, who was to have been Chaplain. 

February 25, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 31 members, 13 guests, 
10 Club guests. 

Subject : The Municipal Museum of Chicago. 

Speakers : Hon. Theodor Lewald, Imperial Commissioner-Gen- 
eral of Germany to the St. Louis Exposition; Mr. Fred- 
erick S. Lamb, President of the Architectural League, New 
York; Mr. Charles Zeublin, Professor of Sociology The 

University of Chicago. 

John Balcom Shaw, Chaplain. 

March 18, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 25 members, 7 guests, 
10 Club guests; also 41 from Merchants Club. 

Subject: Street paving and street cleaning. 

Speakers : John W. Alvord, C. E., Author "Commercial Club 

Eeport on Street Paving Problem of Chicago"; Eichard 

T. Fox, Manager Citizens Street Cleaning Bureau, Chicago; 

Charles H. Wacker, Chairman Finance Committee Citizens 

Street Cleaning Bureau; Prof. Albion W. Small, Ph. D.. 

LL.D. 

J. G. K. McClure, Chaplain. 

April 29, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 15 guests, 
6 Club guests. 
Subject : Eeminiscences of the Cuban trip. 
Speakers : James B. Forgan, Hon. David E. Francis of St. 
Louis; Lucien Wulsin, Cincinnati; Thomas H. West, St. 
Louis; Benjamin Carpenter; William J. Chalmers. 

John A. Morrison, Chaplain. 



166 



October 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 29 members, 17 guests, 
5 Club guests. 
Subject : Old age industrial pensions. 

Speaker : Hon. Frank A. Vanderlip, Vice-President of the 
National City Bank of New York. 

Z. B. Phillips, Chaplain. 

November 25, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 37 members, 16 
guests, 9 Club guests. 
Subject: Progress in smoke abatement, civic beauty and 

social unity. 
Speakers: Franklin MacVeagh; John C. Schubert, Smoke In- 
spector; Prof. George E. Vincent, The University of Chi- 
cago. 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

December. Omitted. 



1906-07. 

GEOKGE E. ADAMS, President. 

January 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 33 members, 35 guests, 

4 Club guests. 

Subject : The southern boy and his opportunity. 

Speaker : Dr. Edwin A. Alderman, President of the University 

of Virginia. 

Frederick V. Hawley, Chaplain 

February. Omitted. 

March 31, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 23 members, 19 guests, 

5 Club guests. 

Subject : About the Philippines. 

Speaker : Mr. Charles Hopkins Clark, Editor of the Hartford 

Courant. 

John Balcom Shaw, Chaplain. 

April 28, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 28 members, 6 guests, 6 
Club guests. 
Subject : Small parks and playgrounds. 

Speakers : Hon. Edward F. Dunne, Mayor; Miss Jane Addams, 
of Hull House; Judge Julian W. Mack, of the Juvenile 
Court. 

Father O 'Callahan, Chaplain. 

167 



October 27, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 32 members. 
Subject : The future policy of the Commercial Club. 
Closed meeting; general discussion. 

November 24, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 35 members, 18 

guests, 10 Club guests. 
Subject : The presentation of $50,000 to the St. Charles School 

for Boys. 
Speaker : Hon. Charles S. Deneen, Governor State of Illinois. 

January 26, 1907, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 35 members Com- 
mercial, 53 Merchants; no guests except the speakers. 

Closed joint meeting with Merchants Club. 

Speakers : Hon. Theodore P. Shonts, Chairman of the Isth- 
mian Canal Commission; Mr. William J. Calhoun, Envoy 
of the United States. 

April 6, 1907, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 89 members, 58 
guests, 5 Club guests. 
Subject : The City and the State. 
Speaker : Et. Hon. James Bryce, British Ambassador. 

Stewart Roberts, Chaplain. 



168 



THE MERCHANTS CLUB 



1897-1898. 

JOHN V. FAEWELL, Jr., President. 

February 6, 1897, Auditorium Hotel. 

Subject : The needs of a great city. 

Speakers : Washington Hesing, D. H. Burnham, Mayor 

George B. Swift, William Kent, Eev. S. J. McPherson, 

and John J. Glessner. 

March 7, 1897, Auditorium Hotel. 

Subject : The primary election law. 

Speakers : Horace S. Oakley, Lawrence Y. Sherman, Chair- 
man of the Committee on Elections; Judge John Barton 
Payne; Alderman John Maynard Harlan, and Eev. Frank 
M. Bristol. 

April 3, 1897, Auditorium Hotel. 

Subject : The improvement of the south shore. 
Speakers : D. H. Burnham, Ferd. W. Peck, Dunlap Smith, 
Harry G. Selfridge, and Walter H. Wilson. 

May 1, 1897. 

Subject : Is a municipal party desirable? 
Speakers : David B. Jones, A. D. Philpot, Samuel B. Bay- 
mond, and Lawrence E. McGann. 

November 6, 1897, Auditorium Hotel. 

Subject: Postal savings banks. 

Speakers : Henry Sherman Boutell and George E. Foss, mem- 
bers of the House of Eepresentatives from Illinois; E. S. 
Lacey, President of the Bankers' National Bank; Charles 
U. Gordon, Postmaster, and Eev. E. M. Stires. 

December 4, 1897, Chicago Club. Attendance, 26 members, no 
guests. 
Closed meeting. 



169 



January 8, 1898, Auditorium Hotel. 

Subject : The proposed new revenue law. 

Speakers : Charles E. Selby and Isaac Miller Hamilton, 
members Illinois Legislature; John P. Wilson, and Dun- 
lap Smith. 

February 5, 1898, Wellington Hotel. 

Subject : The coming aldermanic elections. 

Speakers : John V. Farwell, Jr., Judge Murray F. Tuley, 
Aldermen Charles M. Walker, Henry S. Fitch, and Walter 
C. Nelson; Ex- Alderman William Kent, and George E. 
Cole, President Municipal Voters' League. 

March 12, 1898, Auditorium Hotel. 
Subject : The mayor's cabinet. 
Speakers : President John V. Farwell, Jr.; Josiah Quincy, 

mayor of Boston; John C. Cobb, of Boston; Judge C. C. 

Kohlsaat, and E. A. Bancroft. 

April 8, 1898, Grand Pacific Hotel. 
Annual closed meeting. 
President John V. Farwell, Jr., submitted his report of the 

work of the Club during the fiscal year. Election of 

officers. 



1898-99. 

HAEEY G. SELFEIDGE, President. 

November 12, 1898, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 66 members 
and guests. 

Subject : Advantages to be gained by Chicago and the North- 
west from territorial expansion. 

Speakers : Stuyvesant Fish, of New York; William E. Curtis, 
of Washington; Henry S. Boutell, and H. P. Judson. 

December 10, 1898, Grand Pacific Hotel. 

Subject : A permanent exposition building in Chicago. 

Speakers : H. N. Higinbotham, Otto Young, Charles Truax, 
Eobert A. Waller, City Comptroller; Charles L. Hutchin- 
son, Frank H. Cooper, Dr. N. D. Hillis, Volney W. Foster, 
Frank O. Lowden, William J. Wilson, Professor Graham 
Taylor, A. J. Earling, Dr. William E. Harper, John V. 
Farwell, Jr., and Thomas B. Bryan. 



170 



January 14, 1899, Grand Pacific Hotel. 

Subject : Provident Pawners ' Societies. 

Speakers: Joseph W. Errant, The situation in Chicago; N. A. 
Partridge, European pawnshops; Charles E. Kremer, The 
legal phases; E. M. Bissell, Erom a club member's point 
of view; Eev. C. M. Morton, A personal experience in a 
pawnshop. 

February 11, 1899, Grand Pacific Hotel. 

Subject : Our trade relations with Canada. 

Speakers : President Harry G. Selfridge, Hon. John Charlton, 

member Canadian Parliament; and James H. Eckels. 

March 11, 1899, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 62 members and 

guests. 
Subject : Greater Chicago. 
Speakers : John Barton Payne, Sigmund Zeisler, Judge C. C. 

Kohlsaat, Judge Elbridge Hanecy, Charles S. Cutting, and 

Eepresentative John E. Newcomer. 

April 8, 1899, Grand Pacific Hotel. 
Annual closed meeting. 
Eevision of by-laws and election of officers. 

1899-1900. 

EDGAE A. BANCEOET, President. 

November 11, 1899, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 115 mem- 
bers and guests. 

Subject : Small parks and playgrounds. 

Speakers : Jacob A. Eiis, of New York; Eichard M. Bissell, 
Benjamin S. Terry, and Alderman Eobert K. Griffith. 

December 9, 1899, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 60 members 
and guests. 

Subject: A Mills lodging house for Chicago. 

Speakers : John Lloyd Thomas, superintendent of the Mills 
Hotels, New York; and John H. Bogue, chairman of the 
lodging-house committee of the Improved Housing Associa- 
tion of Chicago. 

January 13, 1900, Grand Pacific Hotel. 
Closed meeting. 
Eevised by-laws adopted. Addresses made by Eollin A. Keyes, 

Fred W. Upham, Graeme Stewart, and Alexander H. 

Eevell. 

171 



February 10, 1900, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 39 members, 
37 guests. 

Subject : The national bankruptcy law. 

Speakers : Hon. J. P. Dolliver, member of the House of Rep- 
resentatives from Iowa, and W. A. Prendergast, of New 
York, secretary of the National Association of Credit Men. 

March 10, 1900, Grand Pacific Hotel. Attendance, 34 members, 46 
guests. 
Subject : The reorganization of the consular service. 
Speakers : Hon. Robert Adams and Hon. E. W. S. Tingle. 

April 14, 1900, University Club. Attendance, 37 members. 
Annual closed meeting. 



1900-1901. 

HERMON B. BUTLER, President. 

November 10, 1900, Grand Pacific Hotel. 

Subject : Municipal ownership of public utilities. 
Speakers : Professor Edmund J. James and Colonel E. R. 
Bliss. 

December 8, 1900, Grand Pacific Hotel. 

Subject : Use of the streets of the city for the transportation 

of the people: Conditions upon which franchises should 

be granted to private corporations. 
Speakers : G. E. Hooker, Hon. Milton J. Foreman, and George 

E. Cole. 

January 19, 1901, Grand Pacific Hotel. 

Subject : The use of public school buildings as neighborhood 

social centers. 
Speakers : Rev. T. E. Sherman, S. J.; Rev. Frank W. Gun- 

saulus, R. M. Bissell, and Hon. L. Y. Sherman. 

February 9, 1901, Grand Pacific Hotel. 
Subject : Commercial high schools. 

Speakers : Professor J. W. Jenks, of Cornell University; 
Edwin G. Cooley, superintendent Chicago public schools; 
John G. Shedd, John V. Farwell, Jr., and Edgar G. Bar 
ratt. 



172 



March 9, 1901, Chicago Athletic Club. 

Subject : The Negro problem in the South. 
Speakers : Dr. P. B. Barringer, of the University of Virginia, 
and Booker T. Washington, of Tuskegee Institute. 

April 13, 1901, Kinsley's. Attendance, 45 members. 

Annual closed meeting. 

Eeports of committees. Short addresses by H. B. Butler, A. 
T. Aldis, E. A. Bancroft, William Kent, J. V. Farwell, Jr., 
Frederick Greeley, Dunlap Smith, A. A. McCormick, Eobert 
Mather, Granger Farwell, H. G. Selfridge, and B. E. Sunny. 

Election of officers and appointment of committees. 



1901-1902. 

EICHAED M. BISSELL, President. 

November 9, 1901, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 70 members 

and guests. 
Subject : Financial and industrial combinations. 
Speakers : Hon. Carroll D. Wright, U. S. Commissioner of 

Labor, and Judge James B. Dill, of New York. 

December 14, 1901, Kinsley's. 

Subject : Citizens' organizations for better government. 

Speakers : Francis C. Huntington, of the Citizens' Union of 
New York; Walter L. Fisher, secretary Municipal Voters' 
League of Chicago; and George E. Cole, President Citi- 
zens' Association of Chicago. 

January 11, 1902, Kinsley's. 

Subject : The infallibility of the press. 

Speakers : Melville E. Stone, president Associated Press; 

Eoswell M. Field, Slason Thompson, and John T. Mc- 

Cutcheon. 

February 15, 1902, Kinsley's. Attendance, 75 members and guests. 

Subject : Limitations of liberty. 

Speakers : The Et. Eev. John Ireland, Archbishop of Min- 
nesota; Professor George E. Vincent, of the University of 
Chicago. 

March 8, 1902, Kinsley's. Attendance, 65 members and guests. 
Subject : The reclaiming of criminals. 

Speakers : Mrs. Maud Ballington Booth and Miss Jane Ad 
dams. 

173 



April 12, 1902, Kinsley 's. Attendance, 45 members. 
Annual closed meeting. 

Eeports of committees, election of officers, and appointment 
of committees. 

1902-1903. 

ALEXANDER A. McCORMICK, President. 

November 8, 1902, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 
29 guests. 

Subject : Labor unions in relation to modern industrial and 
commercial progress. 

Speakers : David B. Jones, president of Commercial Club, 
Chicago, and Thomas I. Kidd, vice-president of the Ameri- 
can Federation of Labor. 

December 13, 1902, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 45 members, 

20 guests. 
Subject : The necessity for a state civil service law. 
Speakers : Joseph Powell, Henry G. Foreman, Frank H. Scott, 

and Edgar A. Bancroft. 

January 10, 1903, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 37 members. 
Closed meeting. 

February 14, 1903, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 41 members, 

28 guests. 
Subject : The Lake Front Park. 
Speakers : Daniel H. Burnham, Dr. Frank W. Gunsaulus, John 

H. Hamline, Bryan Lathrop, and Daniel F. Crilly. 

March 14, 1903, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 33 members, 21 

guests. 
Subject : Some things Chicago has reason to be proud of. 
Speakers : Emil G. Hirsch, Dr. Graham Taylor, C. Norman 

Fay, William S. Jackson, E. G. Cooley, Frank H. Scott, 

Walter L. Fisher, W. M. R. French, J. B. Riddle, and Allen 

B. Pond. 

April 11, 1903, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 27 members. 
Annual closed meeting. 

Reports of officers and committees, election and installation of 
officers, and appointment of committees. 

June 17, 1903, Club guests of Mr. Alfred L. Baker at Onwentsia 
Club, Lake Forest. 111. 
Special meeting. 

174 



1903-1904. 

WALTER H. WILSON, President. 

December 12, 1903, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 50 members, 
70 guests. 
Subject : Chicago and our country. What shall it profit us 

if we gain the whole world and lose our souls'? 
Speaker : Judge Peter S. Grosscup. 

January 9, 1904, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 62 members, 132 
guests. 

Subject : Police administration. 

Speakers: Chicago police as seen by criminals, Prank Wil- 
lard ("Josiah Flynt"); Police organization and disci- 
pline, Captain Alexander R. Piper, of New York City; City 
courts, Common Justice for all of us, William Travers 
Jerome, district attorney of New York City. 

February 18, 1904, Auditorium Hotel, and at Washington School, 
Erie and Morgan streets. Attendance, 34 members, 34 
guests. 

After inspection of the Washington school the Club dined 
and heard reports of educational committee. 

Speakers: Edwin G. Cooley, superintendent of schools; W. 
J. Bogan, principal of Washington school; Joseph T. 
Bowen, chairman west division educational committee of 
Merchants Club; Allan B. Pond, chairman O 'Toole school 
committee; Granger Farwell, chairman educational com- 
mittee; James Gamble Rogers, chairman Washington 
school committee. 

March 12, 1904, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 43 members, 101 
guests. 

Subject : Some problems and policies of the new department. 

Speakers : Hon. George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of the De- 
partment of Commerce and Labor; Brigadier-General 
Frederick Dent Grant. 

April 8, 1904, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 42 members. 
Annual closed meeting. 

Reports of committees, election of officers, and appointment 
of committees. 

June 14, 1904. Visit to Illinois Telephone and Telegraph Com- 
pany's tunnel. 



175 



July 14, 1904, Chicago Club. Attendance, 150 members and guests. 

Special meeting in honor of Honorable Paul Morton, Secre- 
tary of the Navy. 

Subjects and Speakers : The President of the United States 
— Hon. Shelby M. Cullom, United States Senator. 

The Navy — Hon. George E. Foss, chairman committee on 
naval affairs, House of Eepresentatives. 

As the Spirit Moves — Hon. Joseph G. Cannon, Speaker of the 
House of Eepresentatives. 

Our Guest — Mr. Edward D. Kenna. 

Eesponse — Hon. Paul Morton. 

1904-1905. 

ALFEED L. BAKEE, President. 

November 8, 1904, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 150 members 

and guests. 
Subject : American elections. 
Speakers : Eight Honorable John Morley, M. P.; John Wana- 

maker, Edgar A. Bancroft, Frank H. Jones. 

November 26, 1904. Joint meeting with the Commercial Club. 

December 10, 1904, Auditorium. Attendance, 45 members. 

Closed meeting. 

Eeports of committee on Merchants Club bill for regulation 
of "Loan Sharks;' ' Citizens' street cleaning bureau; edu- 
cational committee; naval training Btation. 

Speakers : John V. Farwell, Jr., Edgar A. Bancroft, Graeme 
Stewart, David E. Forgan, Frank H. Armstrong, Joseph 
T. Bowen, Joseph E. Otis. 

January 14, 1905, Auditorium. Attendance, 140 members and 
guests. 

Subjects and Speakers : The Chicago Commercial Association 
—John G. Shedd. 

The great lakes as a factor in transportation facilities — Wil- 
liam L. Brown. 

Chicago as a financial center — David E. Forgan. 

Chicago as a manufacturing center- — John E. Morron. 

The public schools — E. G. Cooley. 

Art and music — Charles L. Hutchinson. 

The spirit of progress and Chicago's new charter — A. M. 
Compton, chairman ways and means committee Chicago 
Commercial Association. 



176 



January 28, 1905. Visit to South Works Illinois Steel Company. 

February 18, 1905, Kinsley's. 

Subjects and Speakers : Commercial and political integrity — 

Hon. John A. Johnson, Governor of Minnesota. 
Competition or Socialism, Which? — Hon. Albert B. Cummins, 

Governor of Iowa. 

March 18, 1905, Joint meeting with the Commercial Club. 

April 22, 1905, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 48 members. 
Annual closed meeting. 

Eeports of officers and committees, election of officers and 
committees. 

May 10, 1905, Auditorium Hotel, at 1 o'clock p. m. Attendance, 
160 members and guests. 
Special meeting. Luncheon in honor of Theodore Eoosevelt, 
President of the United States. 

October 11, 1905. Attendance, 41 members. 

Special meeting. Dinner at Onwentsia Club at Lake Forest 
as the geusts of Mr. Alfred L. Baker. 



1905-1906. 

CHAELES H. WACKEE, President. 

November 11, 1905, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 132 members 
and guests. 

Subject : Our trade relations with China. 

Speaker: Sir Chentung Liang-Cheng, His Imperial Chinese 
Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo- 
tentiary. 

December 5, 1905. Visit to works of the Pullman Palace Car Com- 
pany. 

December 9, 1905, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 166 members 
and guests. 
Subject : The old navy and the new. 
Speakers : General Horace Porter and Admiral Dewey. 

January 13, 1906, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 100 members 

and guests. 
Subjects and Speakers: The national forest service — Hon. 

Gilford Pinchot, forester. 
Is forestry practicable — Mr. Nelson W. McLeod, president 

National Lumber Manufacturers' Association. 

177 



February 18, 1906 (held in Cafe de Chapultepec, City of Mexico). 
Attendance, 48 members and guests, many of whom were 
from the City of Mexico. 
Speakers: Mr. Alfred L. Baker, Sr. Senator Jose Castellot, 
Mr. Kobert Mather, Sr. Don Sebastian Camacho, and 
Mr. Arthur D. Wheeler. 

February 27, 1906. Special meeting. Dinner tendered by Pres. 
Charles H. Wacker to Mr. Eobert Mather on return of 
the Mexican party. 

March 10, 1906, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 132 members and 

guests. 
Subject : The ethics of corporate management. 
Speaker : Charles W. Eliot, LL.D., President of Harvard 

University. 

May 5, 1906, Auditorium Hotel. 
Annual closed meeting. 

Eeports of officers and committees, election of officers and 
committees. 

1906-1907. 

CHAELES D. NOETON, President. 

November 10, 1906, Auditorium Hotel. 
Subject : Canada and reciprocity. 

Speaker : James J. Hill, president Great Northern Eailway 
Company. 

December 8, 1906, Auditorium Hotel. 

Subject : Public schools and their administration. 

Speakers: Theodore W. Eobinson; Edward C. Eliot, Ex- 
chairman Board of Education of St. Louis, Mo.; James 
J. Storrow, president Board of Education of Boston, Mass.; 
Nicholas Murray Butler, president Columbia University, 
New York. 

January 26, 1907. Closed joint meeting with the Commercial Club. 

February 9, 1907, Auditorium Hotel. 

Closed meeting. (Last meeting of The Merchants Club.) 
Speakers: Charles D. Norton, John E. Morron, Arthur T. 
Aldis, Alfred L. Baker, Edgar A. Bancroft, Eichard M. 
Bissell, Frederic A. Delano, John V. Farwell, Jr., David 
E. Forgan, Frederick Greeley, Frank H. Jones, William 
Kent, Alexander A. McCormick, Paul Morton, Edwin A. 
Potter, Theodore W. Eobinson, John G. Shedd, Charles H. 
Wacker, Arthur D. Wheeler, Walter H. Wilson. 



178 



THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 
OF CHICAGO 

The Commercial Club, Organized 1877. 

The Merchants Club, Organized 1896. 

United 1907. 



THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 
OF CHICAGO 

1907-1908. 

JOHN V. FAEWELL, JE., President. 

April 27, 1907, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 72 members. 
Closed meeting. 
Subject : Plan of Chicago. 
General discussion. 

May 31, 1907, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 71 members, 81 
guests, 21 Club guests. 

Formal dinner in honor of General Baron Kuroki. 

Speakers : Major- General A. W. Greeley, TJ. S. A., Com- 
mander of the Northern Division; Hon. George E. Adams, 
General Baron Kuroki. 

November 9, 1907, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 84 members, 37 
guests, 19 Club guests. 

Subject : The effect of industrial education upon the Ger- 
man empire. 

Speaker : Dr. K. G. Eudolph Leonhard, Jr., University of 
Breslau. 

Subject : The effect of industrial education upon labor. 

Speaker : John Golden, president United Textile Workers of 
America. 

Subject : Posibilities of industrial education in America. 

Speaker: Henry S. Pritchett, president Carnegie Foundation 
for the Advancement in Teaching. 

December 14, 1907, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 82 members, 48 
guests, 3 Club guests. 

Subject : Public domain — Department of the Interior. 

Speaker : Hon. Ethan A. Hitchcock, Ex-Secretary of the In- 
terior. 

Subject : Forestry, irrigation, and public lands. 

Speaker : George H. Maxwell, executive chairman the Na- 
tional Irrigation Association. 



181 



January 11, 1908, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 81 members, 47 

guests, 15 Club guests. 
Subject : The principles of infection and the tuberculosis 

problem. 
Speakers : Dr. L. Hektoen, director of the Memorial Institute 

for Infectious Diseases; Dr. Henry Baird Eavill, Dr. 

Frank Billings, Dr. William H. Evans, Commissioner of 

Health of Chicago. 

January 25, 1908, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 82 members, and 
Dr. Henry S. Pritchett and Messrs. E. H. Bennett and 
Jules Guerin. 

Subject : Plan of Chicago. 

Closed meeting. General discussion. 

March 14, 1908, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 63 members, 51 
guests, 5 Club guests. 

Subject : The Government and business. 

Speaker : Woodrow Wilson, LL.D., president Princeton Uni- 
versity. 

April 14, 1908, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 86 members, 158 
guests, 18 Club guests. 
Subject : Trade with the Orient. 
Speaker : Hon. William H. Taft, Secretary of War. 

J. G. K. McClure, Chaplain. 

May 2, 1908, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 64 members. 
Annual closed meeting. 
Eeports and general discussion by members. 



182 



1908-1909. 

BOLLIN A. KEYES, President. 

June 10, 1908, Dinner at Onwentsia Club. Attendance, 32 members, 
4 guests. 
Annual trip to United States Naval Training School. 

November 3, 1908, Auditorium Hotel. Attendance, 130 members 
and guests. 
Special meeting. Plan of Chicago, with reports of committees, 
also election returns. 

November 14, 1908, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 54 members, 29 
guests, 16 Club guests. 
Subject : The public schools of our large cities: Their ad- 
ministration and curriculum. 
Speaker: John Thurston Finley, LL.D., president College 
of the City of New York. 

F. W. Gunsaulus, Chaplain. 

December 12, 1908, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 80 members, 53 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : The psychologist and the practical life. 
Speaker : Professor Hugo Miinsterberg. 

Charles Horswell, Chaplain. 

January 9, 1909, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 76 members, 54 
guests, 7 Club guests. 
Subject : Parole, probation and indeterminate sentence. 
Speakers : Major E. W. McClaughry, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan- 
sas; Judges Mack, Barnes and Cutting. 

Eobert Hugh Morris Chaplain. 

February 13, 1909, Congress Hotel. Attendance, 59 members, 47 
guests, 8 Club guests. 
Subject : The people and the courts. 
Speaker : Mr. Edgar A. Bancroft. 

Eabbi Hirsch, Chaplain. 

April 10, 1909, Home of Mr. John J. G-lessner. Attendance, 63 
members. 
Annual closed meeting. General discussion. 



183 




The fellowship cup, presented by the Cincinnati Commercial 
Club, is about fourteen inches high and bears this inscription : 



IN COMMEMORATION OF THE VISIT OF THE 
COMMERCIAL CLUBS OF BOSTON, CHICAGO 
AND ST. LOUIS, TO THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 
OF CINCINNATI, MAY 27, 1897. 



MEMBERSHIP 







MEMBERSHIP 

Active Members 
1899 Arthur T. Aldis, 

Eeal Estate. 

1901 J. Ogden Armour, 

President Armour & Co. 

1899 Frank H. Armstrong, 

Secretary Reid, Murdoch & Co. 

1889 Edward E. Ayer, 

Vice-President Ayer & Lord Tie Co. 

1899 Alfred L. Baker, 

Alfred L. Baker & Co. 

1898 Edgar A. Bancroft, 

General Counsel and Director International Harvester Co. 

1882 Adolphus C. Bartlett, 

President Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. 

1898 Enos M. Barton, 

Chairman Board of Directors Western Electric Co. 

1896 Nelson P. Bigelow, 

President Bigelow Bros. & Walker Co. 

1899 W. Vernon Booth, 

1315 Monadnock Block. 

1898 Joseph T. Bowen, 

531 Rookery Building. 

1881 J. Harley Bradley, 

President David Bradley Mfg. Co. 

1901 William L. Brown, 

President Pickands, Brown & Co. 

1896 Clarence Buckingham, 

653 Rookery Building. 

1902 Eugene J. Burlington, 

President Illinois Steel Co. 

1900 Daniel H. Burnham, 

Architect. 

1896 Edward B. Butler, 

President Butler Brothers. 

1896 Benjamin Carpenter, 

Geo. B. Carpenter & Co. 



189 



Active Members 

— Continued 

1906 Clyde M.Carr, 

Vice-President Joseph T. Byerson & Son. 

1904 Edward F. Carry, 

First Vice-President and General Manager American Oar 
& Foundry Co. 

1894 William J. Chalmers, 

President Commercial National Safe Deposit Co. 

1877 John M.Clark, 

Grey, Clark & Engle. 

1901 William E. Clow, 

President James B. Clow & Sons. 

1901 Charles H. Conover, 

Vice-President Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. 

1896 Charles R. Corwith, 

Beal Estate. 

1898 Alfred Cowles, 

President Bialto Co. 

1899 Rensselaer W. Cox, 

President Pioneer Cooperage Co. 

1902 Charles R. Crane, 

First Vice-President Crane Co. 

1904 J. J. Dau, 

Vice-President Beid, Murdoch & Co. 

1902 Charles G. Dawes, 

President Central Trust Company of Illinois. 

1902 Frederic A. Delano, 

President Wabash Bailroad Co. 

1902 Thomas E. Donnelley, 

President B. B. Donnelley & Sons Co. 

1897 Albert J. Earling, 

President C. M. & St. P. Bailway. 

1898 Bernard A. Eckhart, 

President B. A. Eckhart Milling Co. 

1902 Francis C. Farwell, 

Secretary John V. Farwell Co. 

1900 Granger Farwell, 

President Farwell Trust Co. 

1896 John V. Farwell, 

Treasurer John V. Farwell Co. 



190 



Active Members 

— Continued 

1906 Samuel M. Felton, 

President Chicago Great Western B. R Co. 

1899 Louis A. Ferguson, 

Second Vice-President Commonwealth Edison Co. 

1906 Stanley Field, 

Vice-President Marshall Field & Co. 

1896 Edwin G. Foreman, 

President Foreman Brothers Banking Co. 

1902 David R. Forgan, 

President National City Bank of Chicago. 

1902 James B. Forgan, 

President First National Bank of Chicago. 

1877 William A. Fuller, 

135 Adams Street. 

1884 John J. Glessner, 

International Harvester Co. 

1897 Ernest A. Hamill, 

President Corn Exchange National Bank. 

1902 James T. Harahan, 

President Illinois Central Bailroad Co. 

1889 Franklin H. Head, 

Manufacturer and Banker. 

1884 James L. Houghteling, 

Peabody, Houghteling & Co. 

1878 Marvin Hughitt, 

President C. & N. W. Ry. Co. 

1900 Charles H. Hulburd, 

President Elgin National Watch Co. 

1882 Charles L. Hutchinson, 

Vice-President Corn Exchange National Bank. 

1899 Samuel Insull, 

President Commonwealth Edison Co. 

1898 David B. Jones, 

President Mineral Point Zinc Co. 

1901 Frank H. Jones, 

Secretary American Trust and Savings Bank. 



191 



Active Members 

' — Continued 

1900 Chauncey Keep, 

135 Adams Street. 

1896 Rollin A. Keyes, 

President Franklin MaeVeagh & Co. 

1899 Victor F. Lawson, 

The Chicago Daily News Co. 

1898 Thies J. Lef ens, 

Real Estate. 

1877 Henry J. Macfarland 

President M. D. Wells Co. 

1878 Franklin MaeVeagh, 

Secretary of the Treasury. 

1901 Clayton Mark, 

Vice-President National Malleable Castings Co. 

1897 Hugh J. McBirney, 

Assistant Manager National Lead Co. 

1897 A. A. McCormick, 

1411 East 51st Street. 

1885 Cyrus H. McCormick, 

President International Harvester Co. 

1898 Harold F. McCormick, 

Vice-President and Treasurer International Harvester Co. 

1904 Medill McCormick, 

Vice-President The Chicago Tribune. 

1899 Hiram R. McCullough, 

Vice-President C. & N. W. Ry. Co. 

1896 Arthur Meeker, 

Director Armour & Co. 

1901 George Merryweather, 

President Eailway Exchange Bank. 

1896 John J. Mitchell, 

President Illinois Trust and Savings Bank. 

1896 John R. Morron, 

President Peter Cooper's Glue Factory. 

1901 Joy Morton, 

Joy Morton & Co. 

1906 Mark Morton, 

President Western Cold Storage Co. 



192 



Active Members 

— Continued 

1901 La Verne W. Noyes, 

President Aermotor Co. 

1904 Joseph E. Otis, 

President Western Trust and Savings Bank. 

1878 Erskine M. Phelps, 

Phelps & Dodge. 

1901 Allen B. Pond, 

Pond & Pond. 

1902 Edwin A. Potter, 

President American Trust & Savings Bank. 

1896 Alexander H. Revell, 

President Alexander H. Eevell & Co. 

1898 Edward P. Ripley, 

President A. T. & S. F. Ey. Co. 

1903 Theodore W. Robinson, 

!First Vice-President Illinois Steel Co. 

1888 Martin A. Ryerson, 

206 La Salle Street. 

1905 John W. Scott, 

Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. 

1896 Louis A. Seeberger, 

Louis A. Seeberger & Co. 

1897 John G. Shedd, 

President Marshall Field & Co. 

1896 Byron L. Smith, 

President The Northern Trust Co. Bank. 

1904 Walter B. Smith, 

John H. Wrenn & Co. 

1899 John A. Spoor, 

President Union Stock Yard and Transit Co. 

1877 Albert A. Sprague, 

President Sprague, Warner & Co. 

1903 Albert A. Sprague II, 

Director Sprague, Warner & Co. 

1906 Homer A. Stillwell, 

Vice-President Butler Brothers. 

1896 Charles L. Strobel, 

President Strobel Steel Construction Co. 



193 




Active Members 

— Continued 

1900 Bernard E. Sunny, 

President Chicago Telephone Co. 

1901 Louis F. Swift, 

President Swift & Co. 

1906 Edward F. Swift, 

Vice-President Swift & Co. 

1902 Charles H. Thorne, 

Treasurer Montgomery Ward & Co. 

1904 Edward A. Turner, 

1528 Monadnock Block. 

1897 Emerson B. Tuttle, 

Real Estate. 

1899 Frederic W. Upham, 

President City Fuel Co. 

1897 Charles H. Wacker, 

Eeal Estate. 

1904 Arthur D. Wheeler, 

Holt, Wheeler and Sidley. 

1905 John E. Wilder, 

Vice-President Wilder & Co. 

1896 Walter H, Wilson, 

Walter H. Wilson & Co. 



Associate Members 
1899 George Everett Adams, 

Lawyer. 

1891 Herman H. Kohlsaat, 

Becord-Herald Building. 

1898 Robert T. Lincoln, 

President The Pullman Co. 

1884 Henry H. Porter, 

1730 Tribune Building. 

1903 William S. Warren, 

Hulburd, Warren & Chandler. 

Non-Resident Members 
1896 Richard M. Bissell, 

Hartford. 

1895 Robert C. Clowry, 

New York. 

1905 John W. G. Cofran, 

Hartford. 

194 



Non- Resident Members 
1880 A. J. Forbes-Leith. 

1880 Lyman J. Gage, 
1896 Frederick Greeley, 
1902 John F. Harris, 

1898 Charles H. Hodges, 

1902 Edward D. Kenna, 
1896 William Kent, 

1899 Robert Mather, 

1903 Paul Morton, 
1878 William Munro, 
1902 Charles D. Norton, 
1902 Frank B. Noyes, 
1899 James Gamble Rogers, 
1896 H. Gordon Selfridge, 
1894 Melville E. Stone, 
1890 Norman B. Ream, 

Retired Members 

1878 Eliphalet W. Blatchford. 

1878 Augustus A. Carpenter. 

1879 Richard T. Crane. 

1887 Harlow N. Higinbotham. 
1877 Murry Nelson. 

1881 William H. Rand. 



— Continued 

Scotland. 

Point Loma, Cal. 

Mackay, Idaho. 

New York. 

Detroit. 

New York. 

Kentfield, Cal. 

New York. 

New York. 

London. 

Washington, D. C. 

Washington, D. C. 

New York. 

London. 

New York. 

New York. 



195 



Deceased Members 




Solomon Albert Smith, 


November, 


1879 


Edward Swan Stickney, 


March. 


1880 


James Monroe Walker, 


January. 


1881 


Richard C. Meldrum, 


April, 


1881 


George Armour, 


June, 


1881 


John Clark Coonley, 


October, 


1882 


Charles Palmer Kellogg, 


April, 


1883 


Anson Stager, 


March, 


1885 


John Wilkinson McGenniss, 


May, 


1885 


George Clinton Clarke, 


April, 


1887 


Martin Ryerson, 


September, 


1887 


John Crerar, 


October, 


1889 


William Emerson Strong, 


April, 


1891 


Uri Balcom, 


November, 


1893 


John Burroughs Drake, 


November, 


1895 


Charles Mather Henderson, 


January, 


1896 


Edson Keith, 


November, 


1896 


James Wheeler Oakley, 


January, 


1897 


Henry Baldwin Stone, 


July, 


1897 


George Mortimer Pullman, 


October, 


1897 


Louis Wampold, 


February, 


1898 


Henry William King, 


April, 


1898 


John DeKoven, 


April, 


1898 


William Charles Dustin Grannis, 


August, 


1898 



196 



The type of men whose genius has placed the United States 
among the great commercial powers of the world. 





MARSHALL FIELD 



GEORGE M. PULLMAN 





N. K. FAIRBANK 



PHILIP D. ARMOUR 



199 



CONSTITUTION 



THE COMMERCIAL CLUB 
OF CHICAGO 

Articles of Association 

For the Purpose of Advancing, by social inter- 
course and a free interchange of views and by- 
co-operative effort, the public welfare and the 
commercial interests of the City of Chicago, The 
Commercial Club, organized December 27, 1877, 
and The Merchants Club, organized December 11, 
1896, hereby unite under the name The Commer- 
cial Club of Chicago, and the following Articles 
of Association are agreed upon, to take effect on 
February 11, 1907. 

Article I. 

MEMBERS 

Section 1. The membership of The Commer- 
cial Club of Chicago shall consist of the present 
(January 24, 1907,) members of The Commercial 
Club and the present members of The Merchants 
Club. The present retired members of The Com- 
mercial Club and any associate members of The 
Merchants Club who desire to become retired mem- 
bers shall constitute the retired membership. There 
shall be no further additions thereafter to the 
retired membership. The present non-resident 
members of The Commercial Club and of the Mer- 
chants Club shall constitute the non-resident mem- 
bership. The present active members of The Com- 
mercial Club and the present active and associate 
members of The Merchants Club shall constitute 
the active membership of The Commercial Club 
of Chicago, except that any such person shall have 
the privilege of immediately becoming an associate 



203 



member, subject to the conditions laid down in 
these Articles of Association. After the number 
of active members has been reduced to ninety by 
such transfers to the associate list or otherwise, the 
number of active members shall not thereafter ex- 
ceed ninety, provided that, during each of the cal- 
endar years 1909, 1910 and 1911, a number of 
active members may be elected equal to one-half 
of the respective yearly decrease of the present 
number, but in no case shall more than three active 
members be elected in any one of said calendar 
years. 

Section 2. No person over fifty years of age, 
other than the present members of The Commer- 
cial Club and the present members of The Mer- 
chants Club, shall be eligible to election to active 
membership, and no person except an active mem- 
ber shall be chosen an associate member. 

Section 3. Any active member who has been 
such for ten years or who has reached the age of 
fifty-five years, may, at his written request, when 
approved by the unanimous vote of the Executive 
Committee, become an associate member. In com- 
puting such ten years, there shall be included all 
the time during which such active member has been 
a member either of The Commercial Club or The 
Merchants Club. 

It shall be understood that active membership in 
The Commercial Club of Chicago implies readiness 
on the part of every active member to accept, with- 
in reasonable limitations, any assignment of work 
for those objects for which the Club is organized, 
even so far as to take the Chairmanship of an im- 
portant working committee, if so requested by the 
Executive Committee. 



204 



Section 4. An associate member shall have the 
same rights and duties as an active member (in- 
cluding the right to vote on the election of persons 
to memberships), save only that he shall not be 
expected to serve as an officer of the Club, and that 
he shall not be fined for absence from the Club 
meetings, except when he has notified the Secre- 
tary that he would attend a meeting. Associate 
members shall be eligible to the Executive Com- 
mittee and to all other committees of the Club. 

Section 5. Any active or associate member who 
has changed his residence and place of business 
from Chicago may make application to the Execu- 
tive Committee, and, upon its approval, may be- 
come a non-resident member. Non-resident and 
retired members shall have the privilege of attend- 
ing any meetings of the Club. Neither non-resi- 
dent nor retired members shall be entitled to vote. 

Section 6. In case a vacancy in the member- 
ship occurs, the Secretary shall notify the members 
thereof. Nominations for membership shall be 
made to the Executive Committee by a written rec- 
ommendation, signed by any member of the Club 
personally acquainted with the candidate. If the 
Executive Committee shall unanimously approve 
a nomination so made, the Secretary shall, at the 
next meeting of the Club, orally announce to the 
Club that the name of the person so approved will 
be voted upon at the next following meeting. 

It shall be proper for any member of the Club 
to communicate to members of the Executive 
Committee information touching the fitness or un- 
fitness of any nomination to membership, which 
information shall be held confidential by the Com- 
mittee. At the next meeting of the Club, if the 
Executive Committee still unanimously approve the 



205 



nomination, it shall be voted upon by secret ballot. 
Ballots bearing the words Accepted or Postponed 
shall be used. Three ballots bearing the word 
"postponed" shall be sufficient to defer the admis- 
sion of any candidate. At any meeting of the 
Executive Committee, only one candidate shall be 
approved by it, and at any meeting of the Club, 
only one candidate shall be submitted for election. 

Section 7. In the admission of members, due 
regard shall be had, so far as practicable, to the 
branches of business in which candidates are en- 
gaged, so that the various commercial interests of 
the city shall be fairly represented in the Club. 

Section 8. Annual dues of Sixty Dollars shall 
be paid at the beginning of each year, by each ac- 
tive and associate member, and no additional 
charge shall be made to them for the cost of din- 
ners at regular meetings. Non-resident and re- 
tired members shall not pay dues, but shall pay an 
assessment of $7.50 for each dinner of the Club 
which they signify to the Secretary their intention 
of attending. It shall be within the discretion of 
the Executive Committee to drop from the roll of 
membership of the Club, any member who has been 
duly notified of dues and failed to pay the same. 

Section 9. Regular meetings of the Club shall 
take precedence of all social engagements. Every 
member unable to attend a regular meeting of the 
Club shall send a written notice to the Secretarv, 
giving the reason for his intended absence — such 
notice to be mailed or sent in time to reach the Sec- 
retary by the morning of the day on which such 
regular meeting is held. Any member failing to 
comply with this rule, or whose reason for non-at- 
tendance may be unsatisfactory to the Executive 
Committee, shall be fined Ten Dollars. Any ac- 



206 



tive member absenting himself from three con- 
secutive regular meetings of the Club without send- 
ing to the Secretary an explanation satisfactory 
to the Executive Committee, may be considered as 
having withdrawn from membership, and his name 
may be stricken from the rolls by the Executive 
Committee. 

Article II. 

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES 

Section 1. The officers shall consist of a Presi- 
dent, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treas- 
urer. 

Section 2. At the April meeting of the Club 
the officers shall be elected to serve one year, or 
until their successors are elected. At the first elec- 
tion under these Articles of Association two of the 
four members of the Executive Committee pro- 
vided for in Section 6 of this Article II, shall be 
elected to serve for two years, and two to serve for 
one year. v Thereafter two shall be elected each 
year to serve for two years. Until the first elec- 
tion is held hereunder, the officers of the Club shall 
be the present officers of the Commercial Club, and 
the Executive Committee of the Club shall consist 
of the present members of the Executive Commit- 
tee of the Commercial Club and the present mem- 
bers of the Executive Committee of The Merchants 
Club. 

Section 3. The President, or in his absence the 
Vice-President, shall preside at all meetings of the 
Club and of the Executive Committee. 

Section 4. The Secretary shall have the cus- 
tody of the seal and of all the books and papers of 
the Club, and shall make and preserve complete 
records of all meetings of the Club and of the Ex- 
ecutive Committee, and shall perform all such other 



207 



duties as may be required by the Club or by the 
Executive Committee. 

In the Year-book of The Commercial Club of 
Chicago the Secretary shall print the list of officers, 
committees, and meetings of The Commercial Club 
and of The Merchants Club from the dates of their 
respective organizations, and in all publications of 
the Club the names of The Commercial Club and 
The Merchants Club shall appear as indicated in 
Article V hereof. 

Section 5. The Treasurer shall receive and 
keep the funds of the Club, and shall disburse the 
same, subject to the supervision of the Executive 
Committee. His books shall be open at all times 
to the inspection of the Executive Committee, or 
of any person designated by it to examine the 
same. The Treasurer shall make a full financial 
report at the annual April meeting of the Club. 

Section 6. The Executive Committee shall con- 
sist of the officers, the President of the Club for 
the preceding year, the Chairman of the Reception 
Committee, and four other members of the Club 
to be elected as hereinbefore provided. The Exec- 
utive Committee shall, subject to the direction of 
the Club, have the general control and management 
of all the affairs of the Club. 

Section 7. The Executive Committee shall have 
the power, by unanimous vote of the entire Com- 
mittee, to discipline or expel any member of the 
Club, whenever in its judgment the best interests 
of the Club shall require such action. 

Section 8. A Reception Committee of five 
members (including a Chairman), to serve one 
year, shall also be elected at the April meeting, in 
each year, after having been nominated according 



208 



to the provisions of Section 9 of this Article II. 
The Reception Committee shall assist in the enter- 
tainment of speakers, guests of honor, and new 
members, serving in a general way as hosts of the 
Club, subject to the direction of the Executive 
Committee. 

Section 9. Subject to the approval of the Ex- 
ecutive Committee, the President shall select a 
Nominating Committee, composed of five members 
of the Club and shall announce the same at the reg- 
ular March meeting of the Club, and such Com- 
mittee shall prepare a list of candidates for the 
various offices and elective committees. The Sec- 
retary shall mail such list to each member of the 
Club at least two weeks before the April meeting, 
at which the annual election shall be held. 

In regard to the election to be held in April, 
1907, the Presidents of The Commercial Club and 
The Merchants Club shall each appoint a nominat- 
ing committee of three members of their respective 
Clubs to act jointly as a nominating committee, 
and such joint nominating committee of six shall 
make its report at the meeting of the Club to be 
held in March, 1907. 

Article III. 

MEETINGS 

Section 1. The Club shall hold its regular meet- 
ings monthly, commencing in November and end- 
ing in April, and on the second Saturday in each 
such month, except whenever the Executive Com- 
mittee may think it advisable so to do they may 
change the date of any meeting, or omit any meet- 
ing. The place where any meeting shall be held 
shall be selected by the Executive Committee. 

Section 2. Special meetings may be called at 
any time by the Executive Committee. 



209 



Section 3. Notice of all meetings, whether reg- 
ular or special, shall be mailed to each member at 
least five days before the date of the meeting. If 
an election for a member is to be held at any meet- 
ing, the Secretary shall so state in the notice. At 
any regular or special meeting of the Club at which 
thirty active members are present any business of 
the Club may be transacted. 

Article IV. 

GUESTS 

At any meeting at which guests are permitted by 
the Executive Committee, any member may invite 
one guest, or more if permitted by the Executive 
Committee, but no guest shall be present on the 
invitation of the same member on more than two 
occasions during the Club year except by special 
invitation of the Executive Committee. 

Article V. 

SEAL 

The official Seal of The Commercial Club of 
Chicago shall contain the following inscription: 

"The Commercial Club of Chicago. 
The Commercial Club, organized 1877. 
The Merchants Club, organized 1896. 
United 1907." 

Article VI. 

AMENDMENTS 

These Articles may be altered or amended at any 
meeting, by a majority vote of the members present 
and entitled, under these Articles of Association, 
to vote, provided that the notice of such meeting 
shall state in what particulars it is proposed to alter 
or amend these Articles. 



210 




211 






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